A Purring Cat is a Time Machine

I hold the purring cat
and close my eyes
to slip from this time stream

cats long dead and long gone
materialize between my hands
their purr an anchor
to my marrow and soul
I grieve and rejoice
to feel their cozy warmth
their fur soft again, healthy

my hands tell the cats
that I have not forgotten them
that I always know
their strategic sweet spots
for scratches and rubs

and they remember me
as they perch upon my thighs
painful nips to my hand replaced
by apologetic strokes of tongue
loose drifts of hair
ticklish kisses to my cheeks

I then open my eyes to see
this cat
and know I will relive this moment
this cat
for all of my days
that their pervasive hair
may very well linger
in this world long after