she's out catting around

I see the neighborhood black cat
out in the parking lot,

meowing loudly.
she's in an out of the shadows
beneath the cars.

I open the door and call her over.
hey, hey.

I put a bowl of milk on the stoop,
and a slice
of turkey.

she looks at me and shrugs.
she looks like hell.

I have no idea what she's been up
to these days.

but her hair is matted, and she's
wobbling.
it looks like she's been drinking
and out
catting around once
again.

hey, come here. I yell to her.
finally she saunters over and sips
some milk.

she looks at me with those bottle
green eyes and winces.

arches her back as she rubs
her body between my legs.

I give her my own meow, to which
she has no reply.
what the hell's going on I ask
her, reaching down

to pet her.
she ignores the turkey. sniffs
and shakes her head.

sorry, I tell her, I guess you wanted
white meat.