Loyalty Poem by Wakefield Mahon

Every night, he sits patiently in the window
Every evening, she stands by the door
I pet him while I am putting my things away
I let her out to answer nature’s call

Dinnertime comes and he sits at my elbow
She lies on the floor arms crossed like a princess
He swishes his tail over my plate and I shoo him away
She begs for leftovers though I have not fed her scraps in years

Mama says, “Daddy is an awful tyrant, you know he won’t feed you”
Papa says, “The vet doesn’t think they are a healthy weight.”

“Bad Cat! ” he scratches me as I give him his medicine or comb his tangled mane
“Bad Dog! ” she has drooled all over the floor waiting for a taste of the lizard behind the glass

It is time for bed and he prances upstairs making himself comfortable on the bed
Time for bed, she scratches on the door to go out and then follows up the stairs

“Must you follow me everywhere? ” Papa says as he wraps around my legs while I am shaving
“Everyone out, ” Mama hollers. It is time to sleep now.

Morning comes and he is sitting outside the bedroom door
The dawn is breaking as she stretches and yawns and moves out of my way

Another day, Mama and Papa gone for another thirteen hours

He sits patiently in the window
She stands by the door