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Open Poetry #37
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Cat's Eye Mercy
| Open Poetry #37 |
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Cat's Eye Mercy |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass 
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Cat’s Eye Mercy I could tell he was somebody’s pet, a little padding on him, clean orange fur, still turned in where a collar would have gone. And he didn’t know cars. He looked like any dead tomcat, and I’m out today with work to do, but as I passed he looked straight at me with eye he had left. It swiveled, centered on me as I passed, alive I couldn’t pass. I stopped, walked back to him, could see where the back had snapped, cat face knocked flat on one side, dead alive. while the eye only turned watching. The tail wasn’t hurt; laid out perfect, the soft bands so like Cheshire I smiled back, didn’t move. He’d had some fights, his ears said; lost a few, to judge by the notches. “You sure lost this one,” I told him, while the eye quivered in its wind of pain, “Take me,” it begged, “I’ll be ok again.” “Take me….” and so I did. A pick was all I had in the truck. I fetched it, gave him all there could be, its blunt top end horribly efficient. There was a manhole; I used the pick again. No one will know where Tiger went, or so I hope, unless they find his blood before the sun browns it away. That will be a mercy to them too, and with some luck they’ll think he left, the way tomcats will do, went off and found another family to take care of him. I guess he did. |
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| © Copyright 2006 Ed Ratledge - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Ed....a tear and a bow for the humanity of your act, that I know hurt you much more than the cat. RIP Kitty! and  to you, Ed! |
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Nightshade
since 2001-08-31
Posts 13962just out of reach |
Awwww....Ed. You are such a sweetie. hugs, Chris Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance. |
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The Lady Member Rara Avis
since 2005-12-26
Posts 7634The Southwest |
Ah shoot Ed... you got me bawling like a baby. It's so lovely and that was such a loving thing to do. |
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Huan Yi Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688Waukegan |
Ed, Actually, I once went into traffic on Broadway in Gary Indiana to get a dead dog out of the street because of something I saw in his eyes, something that deserved that respect and regard. John |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
Mercy he begged and mercy you gave... opening your heart to such pain to spare him a moment's more suffering. As you know... there are furry friends of mine I wish had known the compassion of a someone like you... I thank you on their behalf... and mine... and that of the unknown owners who will have the sorrow of missing... but miss the horror of knowing. This brings tears as I knew it would... some for the tiger kitty who didn't know cars... some for a beautiful write of ultimate compassion... and some in gratitude for the existence of a man who'd stop and render the only aid such circumstances made possible. |
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Soleil Noir Senior Member
since 2001-12-19
Posts 688USA |
No one should ever leave another within that parallel universe of alive dead - some call it purgatory - so you helped him find a new world... with compassion, and dignity and a lot of brotherly love. |
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LeeJ Member Patricius
since 2003-06-19
Posts 13296 |
whewwwww, hard day huh?  so sorry Ed, so sorry you had to endure. Hugs |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass |
Oh yes, a difficult day..... I showed this poem to a friend at work, who loves animals.....she proceeded to read me the riot act for not calling Animal Control....so they could "put it down painlessly" with a shot....after getting a truck routed out there to a corner of the county, picking him up and hauling him back to the dog pound. I figure that would have let him suffer for at least an hour, assuming he somehow lived that long, and the jouncing of the truck...... I may not ask that friend to suffer through any more of my poetry. ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº> |
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Dark Stranger Member Patricius
since 2001-03-19
Posts 13631West Coast |
Ed.. not being a cat fan I didn't cry on this one (wonder if that was the orange buggar that ate my zebra finch..) anyway...enjoyed the pen and the heart amigo!! |
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LeeJ Member Patricius
since 2003-06-19
Posts 13296 |
I'm not a cat fan, but feel sorry for any critter that suffers...Ed..your ok in my book, you did the right thing, the only thing you thought to do at the time... I had an old outdoor cat, years ago, when we lived in the woods...she got old and deaf...and was hit by a car, our neighbor came over and put her out of her misery for her, and God knows, that was so so difficult for him to do. He probably still remembers that. Anyway, love and hugs for being so concerned. |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass |
I'm not a catfellow either, with a couple of notable exceptions....the two cats who ever liked ME! One of those, alas, was a big orange king-of-the-neighborhood tomcat....so I've got a soft spot. ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº> |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
I AM a cat lover... to the core. *S* And I disagree completely with your co-worker... When every path ends in the same place... why take one that's going to cause an innocent creature an extra hour or more of agony? Her choice would have been easier on many in such circumstances (though I know you would have felt every painful minute of that wait and bouncing ride with him *S*) so maybe that's what she would have done... but she would have been almost as wrong as all those who passed by without caring at all. And... your poetry deserves a better audience than that anyway. LOL |
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BluesSerenade Member Patricius
since 2001-10-23
Posts 10549By the Seaside |
So sad, your poem, and so like you to do the right thing. Your poem restores my faith. |
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Free_Spirit07 Member
since 2006-01-29
Posts 222The middle of my mind! |
I couldn’t pass. I stopped, walked back to him, could see where the back had snapped, cat face knocked flat on one side, dead alive. These r awesome words man....yea if you don't mind me saying stuff that chic...u did the right thing, first by actually stopping and then putting the poor thing out of its misery  RSP cat  love this poem!!! x0x0 |
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smithdr Junior Member
since 2006-02-25
Posts 26 |
This is very good poetry. I love it. David |
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Kaoru
since 2003-06-07
Posts 3892where the wild flowers grow |
Awww...so sad....I loved it all the same, though. |
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Joyce Johnson
since 2001-03-10
Posts 9912Washington State |
A sad job you didn't shirk. There is a new gold star on your report card. Joyce |
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