April 11, 2007

The Cat







The Cat
by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

The cat
licks its paw and
lies down in
the bookshelf nook
She
can lie in a
sphinx position
without moving for so
many hours
and then turn her head
to me and
rise and stretch
and turn
her back to me and
lick her paw again as if
no real time had passed
It hasn't
and she is the sphinx with
all the time in the world
in the desert of her time
The cat
knows where flies die
sees ghosts in the motes of air
and shadows in sunbeams
She hears
the music of the spheres and
the hum in the wires of the houses
and the hum of the universe
in interstellar spaces
but
prefers domestic places
and the hum of the heater

Until today, I didn't know of this poem. Thanks, Nan!

15 comments:

  1. The only cat poem I know isn't really a cat poem at all. It's the one by Carl Sandberg about the fog on it's little cat feet...Again, I love the pictures of your cozy home.

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  2. I love these pictures Les, they put a smile on my face and believe me, I was in great need of one ( we have had bad weather here today and I believe it's only going to get worse, ugh!)

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  3. Aw, look, he's smiling! I just love Frankie photos - neat poem, too.

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  4. Your kitty is adorable! Thanks for joining the challenge and I look forward to your choices.

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  5. I love the bottom pic, like Nancy said, he looks like he's smiling. Adorable! :)

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  6. Ferlinghetti really captures the languor of the cat, and our suspicion (or, sure knowledge) that something is going on in there --
    Great pictures, too!

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  7. Anonymous2:05 PM

    Pictures and poetry how very cool :)

    I just read a couple of Ferlinghetti poems last week and I think he could easily become a favorite.

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  8. Anonymous9:45 PM

    Oh, he is just too cute!

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  9. I love the third picture especially. What a sweet, sweet face. Thanks for featuring Frankie boy!

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  10. Wait. I do not see TWO other challenge buttons on your sidebar, do I? (Southern something and About me something). Hmmmm, are you like me, joining Carl's Once Upon a Time and Nessie's M and N when I haven't read more than a few Chunksters for Bookfool? I suspect I'm in over my head here, and might need to join the From the Stacks Challenge just to get everything read. :)

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  11. Bellezza - Glad you enjoyed the pics. And, yes, I've decided to partake in a couple more challenges. Anything to motivate me to read some of the books I own! :) I'm actually doing well with my other two challenges. I've read 4 for each in the past 4 months.

    Lotus - I hope your weather is improving some! We were supposed to get snow, but it stayed to the south of us, so I'm very happy! My hubby just washed both cars so now it'll probably rain. ;) Glad you enjoyed the pics.

    Nancy - It does look a bit like a smile, doesn't it? He doesn't usually sit in that chair, but every once in a while he does and then he falls asleep, sitting up with his paws crossed like that. Such a goof.

    Maggie - Thanks. And thanks for the new challenge idea. It's a great motivator to work on my stacks. I have lots of ideas for the challenge and will probably post a list in the next week or so.

    Nat - Actually, I think he was just about to fall asleep in that last picture. Very odd, since he never sits/sleeps in that chair.

    Teabird - Thanks! He's a lot of fun, when he's not attacking us. ;)

    Iliana - I only just recently discovered this poem. I'll have to grab a collection of Ferlinghetti's poetry next time I'm at the library. Hope you survived the nasty weather in TX yesterday!!

    Lesley - Thanks. He thinks so, too. ;)

    Ollie1976 - Thank you. He is rather cute, in a mischevious way.

    Nan - They were just for you! Glad you enjoyed them. :)

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  12. Anonymous10:48 PM

    What a beautiful poem! Love the pictures of Frankie, too!

    ~Janet, in Fort Worth

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  13. Janet - What a wonderful surprise to see your comment!! Did Lee tell you I'm working at B&N now? I love my job! Thanks for commenting.

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  14. Anonymous11:47 PM

    Hi, Les!
    Nope, I haven't seen or talked to Lee in several months. The few times I've been to his store he hasn't been there. I did read here that you are working at B&N.

    Did you know that our store closed back in January? I am delightfully unemployed!

    ~Janet

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