Teaching a cat to Play

Chandler Ryd

I began by rolling a ball of catnip,
covering it in bubble-wrap from the mail (to give her a surprise,)
and old painter’s tape, for heft, and security, or, for a price,
shining wrapping paper, her ticket.
I wondered for a minute

whether or not to include a string…
A piece of rubber was denser,
and harder to bat around, for the center.
Her toy was a brick and she’ll work

unnecessarily will teach her, at least,
I wondered for a minute.
(Minute details like above are written,)
but I made the toy with my hands.
Maybe the wrapping paper—

I didn’t need layers, she chased the ribbon with no bells anyway—

was unnecessary.
For what?
I wondered for a minute
whether wondering was a waste of a minute because
wondering is

unnecessary,
for what it is worth—nothing—
because wouldn’t catnip be easier won with
no wrapping paper at all?
Though, I could tell, she
definitely enjoyed the ruffles.


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P.S. What does grammar have to do with poetry? Hint: study the picture.