Your Advanced States

You’re reading an article
On the laptop, all about
The flirtation of Russia

With North Korea—muscle
In potentia for the war
In Ukraine, more fresh soldiers—

And one of the cats decides
To mark the laptop corner,
And only a lunge prevents

The whole set-up sliding off
And crashing onto the floor
So that, in your advanced state

Of drug and cancer-addled
Desuetude, you’re briefly
Sure that a cat’s behavior

Could be connected to war,
As if domestic moggies
Could influence wars’ outcomes. . . .

Well, causation seduces
The finest minds, so why not
Imagine cats as agents

Of apocalypse, why not?
Sun floods through the open door.
Soon you won’t think anymore.