Love That Never Strays

By Kira Rodriguez

Can you really write about love when you have never been in love?

When you have never spoken the words to someone,

When that someone has never looked into your eyes

As if you were the only one keeping them from leaving

The party you never wanted to go to, but your friends insisted,

“You will meet someone, someday.”

But I don’t know if that is true because all I can think about is you,

How I left you home alone,

How you sit at the front door, waiting for me to kick off my shoes

So you can snuggle against my feet,

Because that is what you do,

Even though they are slick from dancing,

But you don’t care, you never care,

As long as I give you food and rub your special spot

On your neck, where the fur is grey and white,

And you smile and look into my eyes,

As if I’m the only one keeping you from leaving.