Rallentanda

Rallentanda

Sunday, April 18, 2010

A King among Cats

Napowrimo poem Day 18
Prompt: Tigers and cats

This is for Dids a beautiful cat that I was lucky enough to have for 16 years.

Sometimes I think I see your shadow
darting in the kitchen late at night
in bed I can stretch out now
I used to cling to the edge
while you stretched in elongated
ballet pose a heavyweight
marmalade fur taking up the entire space
I was afraid of storms
was often alone
when the thunder split the sky apart
and the wind howled in the ferocious
tropical tornadoes
we huddled together under the big pink duvet
eyes tightly shut and you purred like an engine
roaring in my ear
I will miss you all the days of my life

19 comments:

  1. Very nicely put. Love the image of him in elongated ballet pose...a heavyweight...and of his purring engine during the storms. Lost my amazing 12-year feline this fall and know where you're coming from.

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  2. You brought tears to my eyes. Over the years I've lost a bevy of feline friends, and you stirred these good, sad, memories.

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  3. Not particularly fond of cats, I'm nonetheless appreciative of this fine work.

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  4. Great poem. A fine tribute to your friend.

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  5. It must be nice to have the love and devotion of such a companion. Your poem does it justice.

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  6. Very moving. I love the "purred like an engine/ roaring in my ear"-- that is just so... cat!

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  7. Rall this brought tears to my eyes. Beautiful tribute to your friend.
    Pamela

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  8. A very fine poem, Rall ... love "marmalade fur." How lucky to have someone with you during those terrible tropical storms you mentioned ...

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  9. It's amazing how their quiet presence (and absence) can fill a space. This was a lovely remembrance.

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  10. beautiful tribute!

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  11. Thankyou. Dids would like this too. He was a very special and unusual cat. He wasn't at all aloof and just loved people. When I had no option but to have him euthanased because he was so ill, even the vet nurse who assists with this unpleasant task daily was in tears.
    I was even prepared to mortgage my home to save him but nothing could be done.

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  12. meow meow to Dids...and all the cool cats....nice one Rall

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  13. I see your cat Rall. I like the last line a lot. I would say that line to my dog who was with me when I was often alone. But she's equally afraid of storm.
    PS Love the WWP badge. Couldn't quite see what the ticket like thing is though.
    - Irene

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  14. from Therese B. -- Very tender elegy. I can feel the heartbreak. I cried when our house rabbit & guinea pig had to be put to sleep.

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  15. Beautifully written. I love the image of you under the pink duvet with your cat.

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  16. I love the image of a small call protecting you from the elements, but they do. They just know when we need them to be the strong one.

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  17. This kind of broke my heart. Beautiful and relatable.

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