Through a Cat's Eyes

Ionuț Morariu
The world is a terrible place. Any tomcat knows it. That's why we're born with our eyes wide shut. Naturally, you need time to get used to evil. Lucky as I was, I didn't open mine at all. I died blind. But now I can see more clearly than ever. You see, we can peer even into the darkness of the blackest soul. But let's not pussyfoot around. I'll just say this and you may understand what you will of it. I sometimes go wild on rooftops made of clouds and meow for all my living peers to hear. Love the place, not the masters, not like those who drool over a bone. Shoo!
 
 Laura Stanciu
Joe filmed me while I yawned and purred. He thought my whiskers looked magical in the light, that I said Hello when I meowed. Every time I chased a fishing rod with some threads at the top, he made another video. Then, it occurred to him to edit the film and upload it on YouTube, and, from there, it spread. So, for months now, I've been watching all sorts of dumb, delighted faces from every corner of the world, on Facebook and WhatsApp. I'm exhausted from the 11 million views. I want the life of a flea - no social media.
 
 Ioana Bostan
I circle around him, go to and fro on the couch beside him. He gets up and moves to his desk. I try to catch him off guard, so I jump in his lap and nuzzle my head under his tense arm. I purr and rub my ear against his chest. He still doesn't notice me. I perform an acrobatic leap and get behind the screen. Misfortune has it that the vase with the wilted tulips is there, too. I lick the water lest it should reach the keyboard. I expect him to make a scene. It's a hell of a puddle, I cannot drink it fast enough. Eyes glued to the screen, he reaches out to me, makes several semicircular motions with the hand and wipes up the puddle on the desk.

 
(Translated by Mara Scoroșanu / University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, MTTLC, year I / Corrected by Silvia Petrescu, coordinator of the translations)