I Wanna Be a Childless Cat Lady

I don’t need a cradle to rock,
a kitchen to guard,
a clock to chase.

I want soft paws on hardwood floors,
the stretch of sunlight across my bed,
the silence I chose, not the silence they warned me of.

Let the world call it lonely.
I’ll call it luxury.
Freedom dressed in fur and afternoon naps.

I want the right to build a life
that no one can rewrite for me —
no diaper ads, no timelines, no hush-hush regret.

I want my heart wild and wide,
a dozen tiny kingdoms purring at my feet.
No heirs. No apologies.
Only love,
only peace,
only me.