Cat Sage

The dark what. If a cat gained
The truth, knew just what was real,

Or knew real for what it was,
A ruse, hand-me-down, a phrase—

Would that cat be a cat sage?
And, if it were, would it change?

Would a wise cat not still be
A cat, with cat lusts, cat needs?

If it lost those, if it could,
(It can’t) would it be a cat?

The cat sage paws at the door
And yowls a thick yowl, a mouse

Or a bird clenched in her mouth.
She knows the truth of it all,

But it does not help. She would
Tell you, but why? It won’t help.