Cats No Less Liquid Than Their Shadows
Cats, no less liquid than their shadows,
Offer no angles to the wind.
They slip, diminished, neat, through loopholes
Less than themselves; will not be pinned
To rules or routes for journeys; counter
Attack with non-resistance; twist
Enticing through the curving fingers
And leave an angered, empty fist.
They wait, obsequious as darkness
Quick to retire, quick to return;
Admit no aim or ethics; flatter
With reservations; will not learn
To answer to their names; are seldom
Truly owned till shot and skinned.
Cats, no less liquid than their shadows,
Offer no angles to the wind.
Written in 1934
by A. S. J. Tessimond [1902 - 1962]
Love this -- though I doubt something 'shot and skinned' could also be called 'truly owned.'
ReplyDeleteGorgeous!
ReplyDelete'Cats, no less liquid than their shadows,
ReplyDeleteOffer no angles to the wind.'
Fantastic line. Thanks for this it's a treasure.
Ditto all the comments - a wonderful addition to the cat poems genre
ReplyDeleteHelp
ReplyDelete