félin graisse
To me. I needed this today.
The fleetest paws, they stretch to clasp
A singing finch just out of grasp.
It takes wing in the shining day,
The predator, she stalks away.
A tail leaves round the corner, oui:
A tabby cat in gay Paris!
What sights, what smells! The puss, she struts
Cross sills of windows all unshut,
Her nose turned up at every sound
Rising above the tended grounds
Of layered gardens row for row,
Past lovers in the golden glow
Whose eyes can see naught else but love,
And least of all, the cat above.
A band of three play for the two,
Such soft romance is nothing new
To those that play with hearts on wings
With mellow wood and laughing strings.
The tabby watches all, yet she
Is just a cat in gay Paris.
The tabby, all alone and sad,
Lamenting of the life she had
Before her human went away
And left her here to stalk and stay.
She’s bitter, yes, but not enough
To say no to a stroke or fluff,
Or to a bit of wine or bread...
Of lightest blanc, or deepest red?
Or if the lovers were to share
Her favorite of the treasures fair?
Oh how her whiskers plucked the wish
That she could have a bite of fish.
Oh just a morsel, just a crumb,
Her wiles and begging strike them dumb!
But she is known by those who sell
The food; oh yes, they know her well.
A flying shoe, she takes her leave
To find another place to thieve
A fish, some bread, a slice of brie;
The hungry cat in gay Paris.
The sun is setting over all,
The shadows on vine covered walls.
It's evening for the people there:
Lovers, artists, dreamers bare
Their hearts and souls across the eave
Of sun kissed flats, yet ere they leave
They notice the fat, grumpy cat,
Starving, sprawled upon the mat
Of the old building she came from,
She lives there still, to go and come
But never have a home again.
She cried herself to sleep. And then
A dozen people, maybe more
Creep over to the darkened door
And stroke her matted, lovely fur
And sing of praise and love to her,
Of beauty and of wonderment,
Of days and nights all passed and spent,
And then the cat wakes up to know
A gentle touch, a loving glow
Until a young girl pets her now,
And picks the fat cat up somehow,
And moments later, the cat sees
That she is loved in gay Paris.
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