Somewhere Out There
My little cat,
how long
has it been
since you fled,
run off by
the swift swipe
of an old broom,
never to be seen
again?
Twenty-five,
thirty years?
Was your time
in this world
cruel?
Is it still?
Do you scrounge
for food left out
to the strays,
like you,
or did you
find comfort
in a welcoming
home,
one without swipes,
where the only
gesture your way
is a pat on the lap
you love,
asking you to come,
praying
you never leave?
Please know
I prayed, too.
*
Deron Eckert is a writer and poet who lives in Lexington, Kentucky. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Rattle, Door is a Jar, Ghost City Review, Maudlin House, The Fourth River, Flash Fiction Magazine, and elsewhere. He was a flash fiction finalist in New Millennium Writing’s 54th Writing Awards. He is currently seeking publication for his Southern Gothic, coming-of-age novel and his first collection of poetry. He can be found on Instagram at deroneckert and Twitter @DeronEckert.