The feline on the
Verge of cat-hood prowled through those
Familiar halls

Hearing the raucous
Mewing howls in those dark
crowded felt tunnels

Hearing time limits
And the endless snarls of those
Who sat at the top

Feeling that she was
Too familiar, she asked
"Why do I bother?"

And the world heard her
The calico found herself
Outside of those halls

Underneath the sky
Lilac, cream, and orange haze with
Planetary dots

She rode beneath it
The white impala rumbling
Stretched out on the black

In such a small place
She saw such a wide array
Yet to be tried out

By the strip malls and
The restaurants, she fell into
A serene limbo

Both waking her up
And lulling her to sleep, the
World answered her call

"Because, dear kitten
There's a wonderful, wild world
Outside of those halls"