I wrote this poem when I was feeding some stray cats in the alley one street removed from my street, the cat in question eventually became my own cat.. Her name was Sad-eyed Sadie, she was the fiercest mother cat I had ever met in my feeding of the stray cats in our city... She had 4 kittens when I started feeding her and her brood, 3 youngsters and one older kitten, we rescued all of them, Garbo was the older kitten, she is a resident of Whiskers a no-kill shelter, two of the others tested positive for feline leukemia and subsequently died from this horrible disease, the last kitten became a treasured pet/companion of a fellow Whiskers volunteer... Sadie lived with me till the spring of 1995, when she quietly passed away during her sleep at my feet as I typed away on the computer. She was the original "Computer Kat"... I miss her purr even today as I sit here and type this out today..This poem is dedicated to her and all of the other stray and abandoned cats who with a little love and patience can become our friends and companions.. Peace Sadie wherever you are, I miss and love you!
Wanna Be's
I see you
you don't see me
you are man
I am cat
you put the food out by the step
I wait
you go in
swiftly I creep up to the food
I listen, then quickly gobble the food down
pausing
only briefly to see if anyone is near,
Then swiftly I run back into the bushes..
I wanna be?
I see you
with the cat who lives in your house
he rubs on you
He purrs as you touch his back
He comes when you call
He lets you hold and nuzzle him
He goes inside with you each day
he ignores me.
I wanna be?
It is night
It is snowing
I am cold
I see you and the cat in your house
You are touching him
he is sitting on you
I am wet
There is food by the back step
It is warm
The air coming from under the door is warm
It smells good
I eat, then go swiftly under the bushes
I am cold
I wanna be....
I am tired
I am cold
the cat in your house is chasing his tail
He is warm
I am hungry
I watch him
he comes out
He walks by me as if I do not exist
there is food by the step
I eat swiftly
there is more, another bowl
I taste, the white stuff is warm and good!
I drink!
Oh no you are coming,
Must I run?
No you stop and gently call! Who?
Not the cat of the house, he is asleep on the bench.
Me! You call me?
I run down the walk.
I stop by the bushes
You call softly to me....
I wanna be......
Where is the food?
It is not at the step..
Wait
It is inside the door.
I can see it
it smells good
You are nowhere to be seen
I creep up the step
I wait
then like a shadow I creep up to the food
I eat
I listen, nothing
It is so warm in here
I stay
I doze.
You come in
I run out down the step and partway up the path..
I wanna be....
I am cold
I do not see the food
the door is open
I look inside
there it is by the chair
I creep up to it
I eat the food
I drink the warm stuff
The cat is there
He sniffs me, I growl
He purrs
He is sleek
I have burrs in my tail
He licks me
I lay down on the soft thing to rest
It is warm
I am warm
I wanna be.......
I am late
the door is closed
There is no warmth
There is no one to be seen
there is no food
I am cold
I am hungry
I am alone
Where is the cat?
Where is the food?
Where are you?
Where are you?
I wanna be.........
I am so hungry
I am cold
I walk sadly slowly up the walk
Wait
The door is open
I can smell the food
I walk quickly up the walk
I go in to the food
I eat
the cat is sleeping on the chair
I climb up to sleep beside him in the warmth
I awake!
What is it?
The door is shut!
You are sitting on the other chair!
You are talking to me
I hide under the chair
You leave the door shut
I stay under the chair
I wanna be!
I sleep on a cushion now with my friend cat
You brush us each day
I eat when I please
I sleep when I want
I have a catnip mouse to play with
You let me sit on you
I can purr for you
I look out the window
I see a small cat in the bushes
I am
He wanna be...
* This page is dedicated to the 2 people who helped Sadie become my best friend, Cookie and Martha,
God Bless you both!
