Two haiku

Mist clings to the land
Under skies of pink and blue--
September sunrise.


What's that mewling?
Is the car's engine purring?
Oh my, a kitten!


This morning, I stopped the car to write down the first haiku. I heard what I thought was a strange bird. After a few moments, I realized it was a cat mewling; and, remembering Pippin, our one-eyed cat, wandering around the car before I left the house, I was afraid he had gotten himself caught up in the car somehow.

I got out and looked, but couldn't see anything. There was very clearly something meowing in the engine compartment, however. I called Amy, but Pippin was at home. It was a kitten. I jacked up the car, but still couldn't get to it or see it. I tried tempting it with a bit of meat from my lunch: no luck. Finally, a mechanic on his way to work stopped and knew where a cat could hide in my engine car--up under the engine block! He crawled on top the engine and reached down behind it and came up with a little, very scared, very angry grey kitten.

Just about then, my father-in-law showed up to help too. I'm rather helpless with these things! I couldn't keep it; we have like eleven pets already. I couldn't turn it loose; it was too young to make it out in the fields on its own. I couldn't put it in my car, because I'm crazy allergic to cats. Finally, I spread out my soft windshield sunshade in the trunk and put it there.

I texted my boss that I'd be late and took the kitten to the animal shelter in Kirksville. They weren't open, but finally agreed to take the kitten when I explained my plight. What a morning!