The Cat who Edits

The cat who edits what isn't loved is motivated

by its own greed for the spotlight.

It's been asleep, dreaming of the red pen

it'd paw at when it heard a new poem in the hall.

Without even asking, it pounces and takes over,

removing any trace of what was there before.

When you see the cat, it is time to run and hide.

It will keep you up all night and work you like a slave;

it doesn't need a screen or a fat stack of paper.

It has only one idea: to take your poem apart

and put it back together again as something else.

It won't stop until it thinks it's done enough damage—

till you're tired of fighting with every word he adds or deletes;

till there's nothing left that can be changed again, nothing left that is yours alone,

It is his.

Written by Claudia Wysocky
Writer

Claudia Wysocky, a Polish writer and poet based in New York, is known for her diverse literary creations, including fiction and poetry. Her poems, such as "Stargazing Love" and "Heaven and Hell," reflect her ability to capture the beauty of life through rich descriptions. Besides poetry, she authored "All Up in Smoke," published by "Anxiety Press." With over five years of writing experience, Claudia's work has been featured in local newspapers, magazines, and even literary journals like WordCityLit and Lothlorien Poetry Journal. Her writing is powered by her belief in art's potential to inspire positive change. Claudia also shares her personal journey and love for writing on her own blog, and she expresses her literary talent as an immigrant raised in post-communism Poland.