PAD Chapbook Challenge Days 7-9

Here are the three poems I wrote for the Poetic Asides Poem-a-day Chapbook Challenge for November 7, 8 and 9, with the prompts that inspired them. (Note that the Day 8 prompt is to write a "pet poem", but all three of these turned out to be about pets.)

[Day 7: Write a "reflection" poem - I took this prompt literally.]

Bad Sister

Who is this cheeky intruder?

Why does she prance around

like she owns the place?

And what is she doing

with my chew toy in her mouth?

I turn and drop it, she does too,

this dog so like myself.

She taunts me, copying

my every move, so I can never

get the jump on her.

BARK BARK BARK BARK

and she just barks back mutely

as if to mock me.

Bad sister, leave this house!

This is MY toy, MY bed,

MY food dish, MY master!

BARK BARK BARK BARK

[Day 8: Write a pet poem.]

Ben

My friend's cat had a unique habit -

he loved to jump on people's backs

like he expected a piggyback ride.

The first time it happened to me

I was startled to say the least -

ten pounds of two-year-old cat weight

dropping on my shoulders, and claws

digging in to keep his balance.

It was his way of being friendly.

Now he is eighteen,

a centenarian in cat years.

He sleeps nearly all day,

his black-and-white fur falls out

in big clumps, and his teeth are so bad

that he yowls when he chews his food.

But he still likes a scratch behind the ears,

he is still amazingly agile for his age,

and he still asks for piggyback rides.

[Day 9: Write a poem about an article of clothing.]

Tanka

an old white cat waits

curled up on a wool jacket

that his mistress wore

for days, snow falls like cat hair

for days, cat hair falls like snow