He would have been four
today.
He would have been happy
in this new home
where he could have run and played
and enjoyed everything we cannot
without him.

Today
he would have been four
and we would have celebrated
maybe
and gotten him something nice
– not chocolate.
He wouldn’t want chocolate.
He would have have fun today
on his birthday.

He would have been four
and we would be three
or four ourselves by now
– or even more
if he weren’t gone.
If you hadn’t been so stupid
to leave the gate open.

He would have been four
today
unless he’d gotten cat leukemia.