When Nefertiti Was Young

By John I. Blair

When Nefertiti was young
She was autocratic and bold,
Clinging to our window screen,
Staring sloe-eyed at us humans,
Caterwauling to come in.

When Nefertiti was young
Up she strutted to Lucky Pierre,
Four times her skinny six-pound size,
As much as saying “Hello big boy!”
And instead of biting he licked her head.

When Nefertiti was young
Almost every day she’d jump six feet
To the top of our antique dropleaf desk
And stroll traverse rods for an aerial act
Daring enough for Cirque Soleil.

When Nefertiti was young
Any time the door was ajar
Out she flew like a cannon shot,
Hot for the vagrant life again,
Eager to live on her own terms.

The world was her boundless empire then,
But now she’s gotten very old.
She’s a dowager empress, hates the cold,
Curls up in her fur and dreams away
Of when Nefertiti was young.

©2004 John I. Blair