Poem: No One Tells You

No one tells you
That in one flash
Of a moment
The earth shifts and
You move from selfish
To caretaker for all

The cat
The dog
The laundry
The dirt
Was always there
Waiting quite patiently

But now, because of that moment,
The frail cat needs
Herbs and reiki
A syringe full of pasty food
“a pate” they say
that drips from her chin

the dog, weary from a
day in the canyon
has broken or strained
his paw
and needs to be supported
to stand or walk or pee

laundry must be sorted, socks matched
and must smell
fresh, of some man-made
aroma that can’t be placed
but just smells
right and respectable

the cheese and dirt
mustn’t cover the counters
for too long and
one cannot dream
knowing a chocolate chip
has strayed from it’s package

i care about sleep
and bright ready eyes
and skins that glows just so
but not enough to
let her wail alone
in her room while I think

about dirt and cheese
and smelly clothes
and cats and dogs
and they way they rain
and how I used to care
about only me.