This illustration was done by Kristi Coghlan who is our writer, Karina Coghlan’s mother.

She lived in splintered pallets piled high;

Wooden crates, slowly rotting outside;

An unstable shelter where she could hide

When fearing the dark and moonless sky.

A cloudburst floods the parking lot.

Stray cats come to drink from puddles in the asphalt.

She wakes up and emerges from her soggy hiding spot

Following a rainbow; a key to a vault.

With a deafening meow, she searched for a place to belong.

Love came to me like a song,

With soiled milk fur and ink-dipped tail,

Looking back at me with cerulean eyes that set sail.

I named her Bo and gave her a forever home.

Now, tiny paws walk through soft grass instead of a concrete world;

Through flowers and leaves, she’s happy to roam

Where sun rays meet the breeze in a gentle twirl.

This was written by our contributing writer, Karina Coghlan.