death of a housecat (and so much more) by Chloe Huang

the day you left i left 

the door closed

in the living room, my father wrapped you in old clothes

as i watched

white roses yellow 

like crumbling envelopes

bound my fingers to your initials

three keys of the piano 

in graceful descent, your ghost

slipped past my fingers like autumn snow

might’ve been buried for millennia, but we

threw you in embers lined with gold

so that maggots would not, could not

feed on the charnel taste of your delicate bones

here’s what i know: 

everything sweet sours at the throat

& you were sweeter than black rice steamed with lily petals