The Cat’s Meow

Sitting in my kitchen after teaching philosophy

I discover the meaning of life:

we’re all like white blood cells in the body of the universe

doing what we can to help when we’re called --

just like my father, a fireman, did -- whenever there was a fire.

As this thought ends,

from my rooftop I hear a meowing cry

I might have ignored another time,

but since tonight answering calls  is the meaning of life,

I walk onto the roof

where I see a skinny tabby.

I give it some milk.

In the morning, with my girlfriend’s help,

I carry the cat down the fire escape.

Since we are stronger than a seven pound cat

we break the cat’s many grips on the railing

and succeed in putting the cat on the sidewalk.

The cat immediately hides under a car.

My girlfriend says, you now have a cat.

I name the cat Uni for Universe.

His name and meows sometimes remind me:

We’re all part of our uni-verse—one uniting song—

learning how to meow for help

and how we may respond to meows.