there is a mist over the land,

and the sky is quietly covered with soft gray clouds.

i look into the trap,

and there inside is also a soft gray cloud.

She is small and quiet and young and very scared.

we take a towel and cover the cage,

gently picking it up –

it is placed into my van.

Together we drive to the humane society,

to the caring vets

doing difficult and honorable work.

She is anesthetized.

Her hardly formed kittens are removed along with her uterus.

There are no easy choices.

Later,

the grey clouds are still over head,

but the fog has lifted.

She is waking up.

I open the cage and off She bounds.

me?

i am still trapped.

We have too much of a good thing.

Contemplation alone is not enough –

we must act with compassion

and trust.