Katniss
chased catnip
across the carpet
of your Lamoni home

each precious pounce
sent you
into fresh
waves of giggles

left you
clutching
a paisley-patterned pillow
tightly as a life preserver

you were
transfixed
by a kitten's glee
until i met your irises

our fingertips
brushed
and we both felt
a chasm grow between us

in silent agreement
we looked our separate ways
lost in fractured
reminiscence