My wife is away so tonight
I’m in bed with Patricia.
Patricia the Panther – the threadbare toy
my wife got when she was a little girl.
She named it Patricia after her mum’s middle name.
She keeps Patricia in the top of her wardrobe
and bellows at me whenever I threaten
to take her to the charity shop.
Patricia lives with us, rarely acknowledged
yet up there, always.
Tonight my wife is away, so I’ll lie next to Patricia,
her little paws resting on the pillow,
and I’ll kiss her goodnight.
The unseen parts, the prowling past –
Carrie, I love all of you.
Joshua Seigal
