Honey Boy was a wonderful cat.  
Honey- orange in color, 
he loved to stay home 
and play with the children, 
frolic with our beagle 
or purr on our laps.

Sometimes he stayed out late 
for nighttime romances, 
but he always came home 
eager for food and a cozy bed.  

Over the years he mellowed 
with a touch of grey here and there. 
He left on a summer night 
and never returned for months.

One spring morning we saw him 
in the neighborhood and brought him home 
for a triumphant reunion.
But somehow he didn’t seem as eager 
to be with us as he used to be, 
still friendly but a little stand offish.
Somehow his sojourn had colored the grey, 
as if he’d been bathed in orange juice.  

One evening on our walk around the block, 
we met a neighbor who was distressed 
that their beloved cat, named Honey Boy, 
had disappeared.  We sympathized 
and continued our walk around the block.

Back home we showed Honey Boy the door 
and bade him a fond farewell.
When we met the neighbor again 
she was ecstatic that Honey Boy had come home.
“What a wonderful surprise” we said, 
and continued our walk around the block.

2012