one word: claw

moose claw
by t. zoEy benally

tightly wound cat paw extensions
DNA probably instructed to change
hair weave patterns on the underside
he used a different knotting pattern
steadily decreasing number of knots
sha'shin, to make the basket neck curve
a comfortable slide up to female softness

tabby striped stretches, they say ants stretch
when they wake up, they said on the radio yesterday
i've never looked at ant leg ends, always assumed
flat table legs, but perhaps they have hands, fingers
spread apart, suck grease into chitin connections
then squish, and finger ends, perhaps armed
curl into dirt, soft decaying leaves, old cheetohs

"Moose" the official Navajo cat name
yelled most often from hogan and unlevel
trailer doors, unless you're yelling "Giddi!"
Moose's smooth muscles inhale, then
release, hydraulic oil drains back, underground pools
her thick unsterilized needle hooks, KOA cactus talons
iced with mouse blood, kitty litter traces, affectionately
dig-------into-------my-------leg