-touch of life, touch of grace-

the morning after New Year’s Day

and I awakened to the same cat leaping upon the bed

approaching my head nudging my head with its head

as if to wake the dead like the elephants do.

It's the new year's realization that as of now

I’m still among the living.

but the minimum monthly payments aren't due

for another week, although they tell me

I owe more this month than I owed last month

so it seems the new year, same as last year, regardless

of the cat's insistence and the diligence of the elephants,

do not allow for a "grace" period.