I do not feel good

I wretch, writhe, paws out stretched

Dance of the hair ball

You left me alone

I’m gonna piss everywhere

And shit in the tub

The water swept me into the sand!

I nearly died, I really did.

A rip and a rush

A child pushed me back to the tides

I writhed at his warm wiggling digits smushing into my smooth slimy skin

I am not a play doh version of your

beanie baby

I am ray!

You’d think I’ve learned my lesson

I hated every second of it

But here I am

rushing ashore again.

I see your ice cream,

Just out of reach of my long neck.

As you appreciate my white feathers

And my black thieve’s mask

The ice cream becomes

closer?

Two great flaps and a mighty webbed step later

I appreciate your ice cream

I normally make no noise at all

My dark, rough body just barely discernible from a rock

But after the moonlight fills the sky

And the other animals fall tranquil

I think maybe

I will make noise for eight hours or so

My time to shine

I drag my eyes open

My pupils adjust to the dewy light

…

Ah

I know

I will start to sort of chatter

And scream