everything in the room flowed like a river towards the open window
that held Spring in its grasp the billowing net curtains holding the season prisoner
a blue so blue one has to gasp a green that made
one feel so alive even the walls rushed towards it
trying to escape their own room a chair
lying on its back like an insect trying to right itself
but furious at failing a picture had been
knocked sideways and a trail of broken mirror
led to the ledge showing the room itself in small and smaller fragments
the clock alarmed to find itself on the carpet
its battery flung just out of reach time gone quiet
the cat careless of this trail of destruction now poised
upon the shiny table knocking over the geranium ***
gazing in green eyes towards the portal
of the open window that led to the great beyond
the feline leaping into the what's
to come leaving this human room behind
*
The title is taken from one of the most delightful and best-known poems in praise of a house cat, Christopher Smart’s “My Cat, Jeoffry” which is actually one section of a much more complex and difficult work entitled Jubilate Agno (Latin for “Rejoice in the Lamb”), composed while the poet was locked in a private madhouse because of religious mania in 1759 or 1760.
For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry. For he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him. For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way. For is this done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness. For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer. For he rolls upon prank to work it in. For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider himself. For this he performs in ten degrees. For first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean. For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there. For thirdly he works it upon stretch with the forepaws extended. For fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood. For fifthly he washes himself. For sixthly he rolls upon wash. For seventhly he fleas himself, that he may not be interrupted upon the beat. For eighthly he rubs himself against a post. For ninthly he looks up for his instructions. For tenthly he goes in quest of food.