{"id":19086,"date":"2025-03-17T13:34:51","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T18:34:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/?p=19086"},"modified":"2025-03-26T11:18:10","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T16:18:10","slug":"its-nice-to-be-kneaded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/03\/17\/its-nice-to-be-kneaded\/","title":{"rendered":"It&#8217;s Nice to be Kneaded"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>It&#8217;s Nice to be Kneaded<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boudin_mcneese\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>R. Elliott Martin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">When we moved into my apartment,&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>spent from the divorce,&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>my furry little buddy kept his distance.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>Content to be fed and left alone,&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>he was aloof, independent, free.&nbsp;<br>His gray and white fur did not&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>yet cover my shirts, pillow, couch.&nbsp;<br>And the curtains had not been ripped&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>to shreds, in lieu of a scratching post.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>But his one-eyed stare soon looked me in the eye,&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>let me know he\u2019d found something in me,&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>that no other humans had shown him before.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>He has no claws, no killer instinct,&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>so no dead birds have found their way to my door.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>And when he kneads on my chest,&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>his purr says,&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>\u2018thanks for everything. You saved me.\u2019&nbsp;<br>Now, after years of cat food,&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>laser pointers, vet bills, bad first dates,&nbsp;<br>and nights spent living alone together,&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>I reply while stroking his head, \u2018I know. And you did, too.\u2019&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>In the lonely bustle of our modern era, it\u2019s good to be needed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"562\" class=\"wp-image-19170\" style=\"width: 450px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2025\/03\/IMG_2560-e1742437816567.jpeg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>R. Elliott Martin<\/strong>&#8216;s buddy, Freddy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>R. Elliott Martin<\/strong> is a poet, Civil War historian, rock and blues musician, and graduate student in history living in Richmond, Virginia. Originally from Southwest Virginia, he currently attends Virginia Commonwealth University where he finished his undergrad and minored in creative writing. He enjoys playing bass guitar and exploring historic sites in central Virginia and elsewhere. His poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in <em>The Virginia Writers\u2019 Project, Exquisite Death Ezine, Streetlight Magazine, Poetry Breakfast, ARTEMIS Journal, The Monterey Review, Arlington Literary Journal, The City Key, Jerry Jazz Musician, The Copperfield Review,<\/em> and elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">\ud83e\udca0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/03\/18\/what-if-the-symbol-were-a-puppy-tinka-and-the-magic-beans-needing-feed\/\">Back<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/03\/18\/the-cats-eyes-dog-people-assume-all-people-are-dog-people\/\">Next<\/a> \ud83e\udca1<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s Nice to be Kneaded R. Elliott Martin __________ When we moved into my apartment,&nbsp;&nbsp;spent from the divorce,&nbsp;&nbsp;my furry little buddy kept his distance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Content to be fed and left alone,&nbsp;&nbsp;he was aloof, independent, free.&nbsp;His gray and white fur did not&nbsp;&nbsp;yet cover my shirts, pillow, couch.&nbsp;And the curtains had not been ripped&nbsp;&nbsp;to shreds, in lieu of&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[228,1],"tags":[75,145,18],"class_list":["post-19086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-second-annual-pet-writing-contest","category-uncategorized","tag-boudin","tag-poetry-2","tag-poetry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19086"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19086\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19298,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19086\/revisions\/19298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}