Lillian by Dan Senn

I own a cat named Lillian.

And whenever
she encounters
a locked door
she strikes it
with her paw
until I come.

When I arrive
however
she disappears
and there is nothing
I can do
to persuade her
to come through.

I must set
the door ajar
and leave.

Several months ago
after reading
one of those
flower child books
I began some
thinking exercises.

The routine called
for counting breaths
over and over
for fifteen minutes.

Whenever my
mind wandered
I was to
redirect it
back
to the counting.

I endured
this exercise
for several days
when
to my surprise

Lillian appeared.

© 1986 Dan Senn

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