Cooling off

This cat
had a moment
of old-time recognition--
she spotted the bird,
knew she could be chasing
it down, biting its neck, but

instead she felt her bones
her breath her pulse her
mood; and she sat still,
mostly relaxed, only a little
perturbed not to be doing
what she had done before

while I looked through
the window at her sitting
in the sun, without opening
the balcony door because I knew
its sudden crack would disturb her
in her dotage, and I laughed

about how when I
don't chase any more,
I say to myself it's
wisdom.