What the Cat Says

(Dubai, August 2018)

The heat here makes me old.
There is no way I can rush about
under its weight.
Find a high place indoors, the cat says,
and rest. But this workday rolls in,
a relentless wave breaking the shore
of my morning. It will always be
like this, says the cat. You need
to take the long view.
Put your head on your paws and
stare at the window
until you can see the lemon
yoke of your soul resting itself
in the sky.
I fold my laptop
into its case and lock the cat in.
But mid-morning, I have a memory –
stopping on a hill in the west
of Ireland, a church brightening
against the open sky, and
beyond the cemetery, the sea
spilling itself.

Frank Dullaghan is an Irish writer who spends his time between Ireland, UK, Dubai, and Malaysia. He has four collections published by Cinnamon Press, most recently Lifting the Latch (2018).  His work is widely published in international literary journals, including in Cyphers, London Magazine, Magma, Nimrod, and Rattle.