The cat eats plastic, obsessively,
like a real freak, and it seems we’re always
ripping something out of his mouth, paper,
some days, if he’s not too picky,
but mostly plastic — candy wrappers,
especially, or the bagged tortillas
we keep in the fridge especially
so he can’t get them. Today alone,
he’s caught and gnawed the cellophane
sleeve I pulled from the card for your mom,
and the bag of litter in the closet,
which he’s learned to open, and the chip bags
I bought myself after my big grant proposal
failed, and at first we laid in bed together
and I wept, and then the cat went after
the toilet paper under the sink
while we were distracted, such alluring
packages to chew, so neatly wrapped
and stacked in their plastic cocoons.
He drags one out for us to look at,
laying in bed like that, and attacks it
quietly, almost tenderly, in the doorway,
as if to say See? I’ve brought it right to you.
We have what we need. Dry your poor face
and we’ll open it together.
Dessa Bayrock lives in Ottawa with two cats, one of whom is very loud and almost always nearby. She recently completed a doctorate about Canadian literary awards. You can find her, or at least more about her, at dessabayrock.com, or at @dessayo on Instagram, where she posts book reviews and anti-capitalist memes.
