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me OW (Karen Whimsikat)
| Open Poetry #42 |
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me OW (Karen Whimsikat) |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738
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I. I must have some agility despite appearances of "not" and I've been told that I have claws despite the fact I have no paws. Bloody noses? I survived. Once I cracked a wisdom tooth. I lived like that for one whole year with nerves exposed down to the root. X-rays showed my rib was bruised and that my hips are narrowing "stenosis" was prognosis then but that was when I trusted "them". The vets? Those boys will do ya in! Y'ever see a scaredy cat? II. They came armed with chemicals hypodermically they charged inducing wars inside of me and "I" became the enemy! The armies of my white blood cells were blinded by the camouflage steroids marched the battlefield and they had slain my entourage-- napalmed my bacteria and left my G.I. tract disarmed. Yogurt was the magic cure. (yes, m'friends, "Dinsana" works!) and for cats? It's mother's milk. Y'ever seen a yeasty cat? *shudder at the thought of that* III. I've fallen many, many times-- and never landed on my feet. I can't count the lives I've had for never once did I concede. A couple times I waved a flag but I confess that was deceit I did intend surrender once but changed my mind when I agreed that death is very messy and since I'm the one in charge of meat cleaning up my own demise would be impossible, I think. Y'ever seen a Prozac cat? IV. I'm that cat with one weird eye and fur too rough from no kind hand to soothe the ache of want to arch and smooth my fur along the parts perhaps a leg of some kind fool who mercifully lays out some food for the weird cat with no paws who cannot even count her lives-- listening to rats who lie trusting them that say "I'm cat" sharing rations with the mice who have learned to say "meow" taking all my kibbles as I nibble on the bits. Y'ever seen a cat that dumb? V. I do believe that I've come close judging from the fur I lost on the wheels of cars on roads I should not have tried to cross. A couple times I had "come to" lying on the curb, confused I think I drank some anti-freeze-- it's not too bad--it tasted sweet but not worth the quelch of thirst I do believe that was the worst hangover I ever had... Fearing kindness is a sad state of mind for even cats: "Why on Earth did they do that?" I never did no harm to them. Once I used thier garden when I really had to...wince...cat stuff. Y'ever see a cat chagrined? VI. I used to be a real cool cat. I owned that fence out in the back My tail stood tall without this bent crimp (I think it's permanent) It was Fashion Week and I could walk that fence like Heidi Klum but then I had my two good eyes and I was very lithe and young... Y'ever see an old cat shrug? I should have flossed. I should have done cat pilates? Like I could! I tried raw foods--and that was good until I lost that wisdom tooth-- blue jays? They put up good fight. Y'ever see a lipless cat? VII. I don't regret the lives I led. and not a drop of blood I bled I sometimes wish the blood would stop or at least accomplish clot and I'll accept what I am not and parts of lives I have forgot. Cut the nails that are not claws and at least give myself "pause" and learn to purr the gratitude for that guy who leaves the food and take a pass on anti-freeze for a little while at least... An indoor cat? Might not be bad. considering the lives I've had. Y'ever hear a cat bargain? VIII. My brother was an outdoor cat. Had he been left where he was at he might yet be alive today. He took too well to "Fancy Feast". He'd always liked to hunt his meat before he learned of comfort caged and boredom was the war he waged instead of living what he was a bad ass cat that knew the road from Mexico to Modesto disguised as one of them Mondo folk who were the Bandito... but that's my brother's tail. Y'never met a cat like him. IX. So I am back, an indoor cat. Looking out the window at cars that whizz on by as I yawn at dawn and close my eyes wondering which life I'll dream sleeping with my tail twitching and still I only eat the bits-- I guess I just got used to it. Wondering which number is the number of the life I live and dreaming that perhaps I can be the one who gets to "ten". And someday I'll brave daylight summon up that old catfight make a break for the outdoors get out there and yowl some more flipping my finger at cars: 'cause I'm the cat who don't have paws. Y'ever met a cat who can?  * * * |
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Allysa 
since 1999-11-09
Posts 1952In an upside-down garden |
That was both awesome and hilarious, m'lady. Much love. |
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Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
I think you really have to be familiar with the "cat condition " to appreciate this as much as I do, Karen. It is sad but oh, so funny too. Ida |
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Susan Caldwell Member Rara Avis
since 2002-12-27
Posts 8348Florida |
This is truth. Life, laughter and tears. I have lived some of it..and some of it is personal to you... and ALL of it makes us who we are...good, bad and somewhere in between depending on the day. My cat sometimes purrrrs and rubs against me and sometimes for no reason, she bites me. I still love her because she is who she is...even when she licks the walls.  "too bad ignorance isn't painful" |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Thank you ladies...sometimes laughter is the best meds. And yanno? Sometimes I get so tired of trying to be so...poetic. So I enjoyed writing this'n. It was fun.  thank you for stopping in!  and purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr |
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JenniferMaxwell
since 2006-09-14
Posts 2423 |
Witty, clever, fun and so very, very well done! |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
VIII  Gawd, I love you heart. I happen to think you are very much a cat like him. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
What's not poetic about a cat? They BREED poetry. [Oh, that's right... you've not read the book yet. ]quote: What I loved about this particular stanza is that you allow the cat to THINK... as we know they do. I once had a delightful argument with some teacher of psychology...he allowed as animals do not think, nor have thought - they only react from instinct alone. [Hello, first clue, instinct is a learned trigger which can be manipulated over time]. So of course, I disagreed - my animals "talked" and one of us were smart enough to learn the other's language. You've learned it not only very well - but more than that...you learned to interpret. Thank god for us!   |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Me oh! mee ohh! meee ohhh! meeee owwww meow, meow, meow-meow-meow wow WOW WOW WOW WOW! This is BRILLLLLLLLLLLLIANT, happy, sad, happy-sad, funnnnnny, clever, POETIC, and meow so Karen! This comes not only from me, but from Tigger, my tabby, who is a far better judge of being a cat and of cat-talk (though he lovingly says I speak it well too), and he sends many, many admiring meows. Daisy, my Maltese Poodle asked not to be left out - she speaks cat very well too, but she sends admiring woofs. What will you do/achieve/create/think/write next! You are a unique, never-ending source of pure brilliance! You should publish at least 10 books of poetry a year and another 20 on the things on your mind at the time you are writing. I often think that so many of your amazing thoughts must get wasted on desert sand and never reach your admiring fans and that is very sad. - Owl, one of your greatest fans (I won't say your greatest, for fear of starting a war in Pip) |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Oh, and I meant to say to Karilea - that poor teacher of psychology, how could he be so uneducated! I am glad you put him right. Smiles. - Owl |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
*laughing* I've gotten some funny replies before, and not to mention some really weird e mail, but this one has apparently been inspirational in that regard. (Thank you, most especially Owl, for the e mail) And in case some of you might not have seen a lipless cat--I thought I'd offer proof. We couldn't figure out what the heck was going on with our cat, Mojo. She was never exactly a beauty in any sense of the word--we chose to keep her because she was weird. (She fit right in with the rest of us.) But in this photo, she has a bottom lip, but her upper lip had been torn as the result of a fight with one of those aforementoned blue-jays. (I know, because Mojo had proudly brought the corpse to me--a gift. Sheesh.)  Mojo lost her last life under the wheel of a car, so she is only with us now in spirit. But there it is folks, a lipless cat. Thanks all, for the fun. I do love you all!  |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Karen, I'm glad you enjoyed the email from Tigger and Daisy. I will tell them both. One thing you got wrong is when you said that Mojo had never been a beauty in any sense of the word - it is very apparent from the photo and the description that Mojo is a beauty in EVERY sense of the word. (Tigger says so too. If Daisy could see, she would think so as well.) You DID say thank you for the blue jay, didn't you? Smiles. My inevitable animally tears are flowing for her passing, but be assured that she and Flicka, my horse, will have met in Heaven. He adored/adores all animals especially dogs and cats. - Owl |
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bel1e Senior Member
since 2006-07-24
Posts 1631 |
~you are a brilliant writer, serenity~ ~always have enjoyed you~ |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Diana? I just read a quote I thought you might enjoy. It's employed in the book "Forbidden Knowledge" by Roger Shattuck, referenced in the chapter "Guilt, Justice, and Empathy": "So the animal lives unhistorically...It merges entirely into the present, it knows nothing of dissembling, hides nothing, and seems always exactly what it is, and so cannot help being honest" (Unmodern Observations, 170, tr. Gary Brown.). I still can't figure out for the life of me who exactly said it, but I do think we both agree on the truth of it. LOVE the animals, babycakes! Hugs!And a smiling hug to the lovely Belle--I've been looking around for you too, I'm wondering how your Faerytales book is coming. I am completely enthralled with what MacGregor has done with Wicked, and finished Mirror, Mirror as well (you MUST read that if you haven't already--I mean, Lucretia Borgia as the wicked stepmother???) Great stuff. Anyhow, let me know how your work is coming lady. Thanks for stopping in. |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Yep, I certainly love and believe the truth of that quote. I will tell Tigger and Daisy that you love them. They will be delighted! - Owl |
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