The trouble with a cat's that gettin'
One requires at first a kitten.
In the dim morning light
Cat eyes gone black like Lyta's.
Do you speak with Shadows?
When I feel down
You know how to cheer me
When I'm alone
You always stay near me
When I'm afraid
You calm and ease me
When I feel glad
You sometimes will tease me
When it is summer
You always stay cool
When it is winter
Sometimes act the fool
When I am cold
You're able to warm me
When disillusioned
You manage to charm me
Acrobatic leaps
Excitement or contentment
Purring in the sun
O little Tallahassee town,
How still we see thee lie.
The graduates in cap and gown.
Have said their last goodbye.
The lawyers and reporters,
Too, have gone on their way.
The hopes and fears
Of all the years. . .
Are somewhere else today.
How silently, how silently,
The peace and calm restored.
The ballots which arrived by truck
Back to their local Board.
No longer are we mentioned
In nightly network news.
Professors take
Their Christmas break—
And Tally Town can snooze.
My brain is like a red, red rose:
It fades real fast, then dead, dead goes.
One winter night
There were no trees
Silent
The still air
Hovered
Oppressive
Dry ground
Clouds
The weight of all
Fell down the stairs
To a dark
Musty-smelled hovel
Trembling, alone
With shelves of wood
No fire, no light
A nest of mice
Where the hole led out
Further into the mysteries
Feverishly sweating
Swirling ever darker
The lake stood frozen
Turned upon itself
Time refused to move
Ever seeping past the door
Where all could be
But never would
Perhaps to ask
What it meant
To see a flower pendant
Upon the neck
Hanging
In the curve of the elbow
Tension tightens
Releases
Flying geese
Squawk
Again silence
Among the tall grass
thin bulletins over the ocean
as if you knew
but shimmering
see
that's
the way
always
perhaps
eventually
and furthermore
so the cups are gathered
lovely turnips and beetles
spinning around seeing through a veil
and you must have supposed
why
why
why
torture and torment
no resolution
turnips and teakettles and tulips and tights
tea for two lips turns up
beetles and bulletins and broncos and balloons
i don't like any of them except the tea
a veil with lights
that's how
i never understood, i still don't
clouds have always fascinated me
you
Let the poets pipe of love
(Usually unrequited love)
And when they've had enough of love,
Then let them write
—of Death!
True, they may speak of flowers fair
And beauty that is everywhere,
Enthralled by Spring that stirs the air,
'Til Winter brings
—fair Death!
Now poets may be quite devout
And things divine may write about.
Their prayers express their doubts about
The ways of love
—and Death!
So let the poets write of love
And endlessly enthuse of love!
When we've more than enough of love
Then we may hope
—for Death!
What I fool I was!
So many years without you—
Yet you were there, patiently waiting for me.
I suppose there was a part of me that always desired you,
But never thought it could work.
I was prejudiced, disdained you,
I called you bitter,
Even said you smelled bad.
But once I gave you a chance
You won me over quickly—
As though it was always meant to be.
Now I am a convert with the fervor of the enlightened.
I was put off by some of your kin—
Until I found the right one,
One that was complex, richly nuanced.
Now each morning
I cannot wait for you to touch my lips,
To drink you in.
You awaken me as no other has done.
Throughout the day I think of you;
I look forward to relaxing with you after dinner.
Songs that I could not comprehend before
Make such sense now!
Sometimes you are to hot to handle—
Yet I have learned to appreciate your warmth.
So many years, but forget the past!
From now on, each morning I will look to you:
My elixir! My delight! My coffee!
There once was a Lady Linnet
Who sailed over seas wild and wet
Then she got on Twitter
And left tweeple bitter
When her generator died
and @GLITTERSTARZ took over the quiz
and @phyllismufson arbitrarily won
[then @deucehartley showed up late
and arbitrarily won but
Still wouldn't wear the tiara],
You bet!