Seren J.H. Wolfe

kicking a can of fish in the alley
where we used to play and talk as young kids.
there was a stray we fed, named her Kali,
we weren't supposed to feed it, mom forbid.

one day we were home, Kali came right in.
she curled up in my lap, but where was mom?
from the other room there was a great din,
the news flashed red, something about a bomb...

mom grabbed us all and we ran to the yard
where dad had built a shelter just last year.
but mom and you and Kali made it hard-
door shut, bombs dropped, radiation fell here.

now I'm in the backyard, howling and wild.
thanks mom. signed, the ghoul you left outside.