I can feel grief stalking me like a cat
slipping around corners
just out of sight

She’s lurking
staring at me with her luscious eyes
glowing in the shadows
beckoning

But I’m afraid
and look away
Not again!
Not yet!

I walk away
but the soft paws
pad after me quickly
quietly
surely

Sometimes I tire of running away
and shout out,
“Ok, you’ve won. Come get me,”
but the cat slinks off
ever disobedient

And then
when I least expect it
she jumps onto my lap
settles in with her kneading claws
and that familiar purr

A warm weight of blackness

Once again
I am hers