One for Aubs

I used to write doggerel, and other stuff for me and in the main for my children who at that time lived a very long way away - too far. However, another story. I have been laid up for a few days and one task was to clear out my filing cabinets at home.

Some of what I have found I will never post, but here is one for you cat lovers (I have changed my daughters name by the way)

Here’s a brief tale of young Susannah Mary
And her pet cat called Timmy (who was rather hairy)
And the days she was forced to spend resting in bed
Surrounded by books, all of which she had read.

‘I think’ said Susannah ‘since there’s nothing to do
And no-one to talk to, not even you,
And since I feel better, or at least not much worse
The time has come cat to teach you to converse.

‘When I talk to you cat why can’t you reply?
You don’t even listen or open an eye
You occasionally stretch, perhaps manage a yawn,
But you’ve not spoken a word since the day you were born’

At this might Timmy sat up on the bed.
(he was thinking no doubt it was time he was fed)
He gazed at Susannah with unblinking eyes,
Then he started to speak, much to her surprise.

‘Not so fast’ said cat Timmy in a voice smooth as silk,
‘I’ll talk to you briefly, but first fetch me some milk
And after I’ve drunk it and cleaned up my whiskers
I’ll tell you why cats never talk to their mistress.’

‘We cats’ said young Timmy ‘have been here for ever,
For millions of years, so don’t think we’re not cleaver!
We’ve sat under the thrones of the earliest Pharos
Graced the tables of Princes, and warmed up cold Kings toes’.

‘We have sat on the desks of the famous and wise
Of Einstein and Haydn, and one or two spies
We have sat and just listened, been very discreet
Why there’s even a cat lives at Ten Downing Street’

‘We know all sorts of languages, Latin and Greek
To a Chinaman Russian or Dane we could speak.
So don’t think since we’re silent that means we are thick
We choose to be thus (‘cept when children are sick)’

‘We are the wisest of creatures on Earth
But we prefer to just listen, from table or hearth
All our needs are supplied, not from some idle chat,
But by just being there as that warm friendly cat’


JJ ***** March1983