I can blame it all on Cinders

she always licked the kitchen floor clean,

so I did not learn to sweep with a broom

till long after I had any interest.

 

Cinders gets the blame again

when it comes to not being very attentive

she loudly proclaimed whenever

siblings were crawling into danger.

 

But the neighbor, with his fish-burying garden method

gets the blame for my broken heart.

My first, best pet had to move to Aunt Rose’s,

and life was never the same.