A Tail of Be(ing and)Longing - Poetry from a Blast in the Middle of Town
No, I wasn't waiting on a bus, It's jus'
that I caught a flashing glimpse of you
as you walked Leith Walk, tail in air!
...and I stopped... dead
I stand smoking, what to do
rooted on tingling wooden legs?
...heart leaps in mouth Hot Damn
you turn towards…and then sail past
me, the unseen hue - the invisible man
Something has changed...
yes it's you! Really, could be me?
not certain if I can focus to clearly see
that coat, those whiskers, deep colours
are they yours those laced-up paws?
Yes, surely they must be!
You stop across the little lane
dare I climb that tall, invisible fence
towards a stilL Kat who sat, with back
turned to me arched in self-defence
obstruct-obliterating half a view
unfinished sacred sentence
bbBeautyfulllLKkkkaaat
..........byooteeFooLKaaaaaaat..........
you know I'm here'n'there
as you 2 are everywhere
| | < < < unseen > > > | |
as I am invisible now
What see you
then, if not me?
...the scars, the mark:
the DarkSpark that grew?
Do you also recall, at all do you??
...that gentle mystic Autumn breeze....
harmonious gift, interlocking trees, sunny
timeless magic, music and floating leaves
Only then came pain, fire; 'tis all true
those raging bouts of deathly blue
I fully engaged claws with you!
Sublime - Feline - Divine - Feminine
Soft vulnerable creature, dry weeping eyes
battle-weary survivor whose sorrowful cries
of pain from her youth under blazing skies
cracks open the heart each time it tries
to grasp at the deep depths of feeling
....those wounds my friend?...
I'm pounding inside by the wayside
the weight of past futility upon me
cat got my tongue!
But I see you! my inner vision is awake
today is NAMEd your DAY as you -
Precious Princess of 4 Paws
you sniff some magic in the air
swaying animatedly just over there,
independent, alive, proud that life is YOURS;
yet silent held back by Fear, greatest of all False Laws
You move off where I cannot go
and not just on account of clumsy legs
You leave me behind
up-lightened, no regret
multidimensional being of light
my gratitude has no bounds, and yet
the spell of old it now lies broken it is lifted
I, respectfullyLovingly, am no longer in your debt
jaguar - image source - rest @barge
I love cats! Are they your cats? You no longer have them?
Hey @wanderlass, I love cats too, but no, they are not 'mine'...I never had them to begin with, but they are individuals that I have known! The one in the first photo at the top is the little stray cat who had made her home at the house in Delhi when I was there 2 years ago - she came to me, and that too very shyly. I adored her, and was very upset when she got run over and killed on 15/12/2015. The cat at the bottom is Mr.P, and I lived with him for a year in Scotland. He is the first animal I ever got to know - he is a very close friend but I have not seen him for nearly 4 years now. He is a Zen master, and he taught me more than I am able to ever state. I hope to see him again one fine day! 🔆
It's sad what happened to the Delhi cat. And
you even remember the date, she is special. It happens here in Manila as well because of the traffic. And Mr. P looks fierce! Maybe he's just wandering freely and learning more about Zen! I wish you see him again one day and maybe he'll have more lessons to teach you. :)
Very special, and on many levels :) ... I knew her for only a couple of months and during that time I often felt that she was the only one who gave a shit about me, although she was little and lived on top of the pump-house in a cardboard box shelter that I had made for her. She was a brave little thing, and very independent. Such beautiful colours too! Had her head and paw down a drain possibly chasing a rat, totally focussed, and didn't spot whatever vehicle it was coming down the lane behind the house :( ... I cremated her in a big, broken flowerpot, using an old table as firewood. The family weren't particularly pleased, but I didn't care.
And lol at Fierce Mr P, knowing him as I do, I'd say 'Magnificent' Mr. P :)...and yes totally, I bet that's exactly what he's up to...and maybe (just maybe) he is gathering material for the next bunch of lessons for his number one disciple Mr Barge!!! I do hope so @wanderlass :D
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She looks adorable and her eyes are so fierce too like she's up to something. I think cats are up to something most of the time. The drivers should be careful and care about animals on the road :( She got a beautiful funeral and she's in a better place.
If Mr. P comes back, please share the lesson materials he brings you :D
what a cool play on words, I like the catty descriptions. :) The ending lines, to me were really a trip - it's like all that admiration, attraction and lust happened in the flash of a second for a stranger and you're grateful then she walked on.
Great write yet again @barge !
Wow @amariespeaks, that's an interesting read of this. Defo agree that all of these featured: admiration, attraction, lust, stranger, gratitude. Beyond that, the poem is admittedly rather enigmatic and loaded with references which are so personal and so close to the core of something deep and tender inside that I'm afraid no further elaboration can be forthcoming....... 😌 ...... many thanks for coming over and reading this post (which is a very special one for me), and for sharing your thoughts.
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you're welcome! 👏👏👏