[Paw]sed

A brown cat | rapped on my door | three nights ago. | His little paws | were drenched in the rain | of little, desperate knocks. | He asked me if I could take a boarder, not for a night | but for life. | I told him | I’m sorry mister cat | but my heart is boarded up | it’s paused | for good, | it’s closed | for you, | and it’s barred, | for life.

-Odis