I Heard My Cat Cry

I heard my cat cry
wandering the lonely house
while we slept.
My thoughts turned to other animals confined
crying in the night for food
water
or space.
For freedom.
Or even kindness.

The thought of animals,
the thought of people,
confined without mercy
woke me up,

and I cried over them
and with them
asking their captors to have mercy.

I sent them love.
I felt helpless.
I wished I could do more than pray.

My prayer gnawed through ropes,
sprung locks,
sent light
into dark hearts.

Souls joined in prayer
link lives
in the secret
membrane
of mystery.