C a T and the Sphinx

*** C A T and the SPHINX*** Cat is on the prowl Without taking a step! Proud fellow, often unseen, Gracefully gliding by. He feels he knows it all — At least all that is necessary to know — Of the far, the wide, on Past the doors and through the walls. Cat tallies his receipts From his surroundings, to measure All our household’s moods and movements To catch the things That may be on-coming, so he can be In their midst prior to their occurring: Cat will sit on a magazine I want to read; Cat will hide from the scolding thoughts He thinks we’re thinking about him. Cat can yowl out, “MEEEEeeOoOuwwWLL!” Often and loud when feeling foul; And Cat WILL BITE! When he wishes to drift into a nap. Cat will snap at any hand Approaching, disturbing, wanting to touch him When he’s curled down with his tail around (Looking quite like an odd breadbox). Cat screams as any cat can! And will “Hhh-isss! Leave me! Mee-Yeeow!” Stop looking at me!” As if his sleek beauty Should for all his days go Without any embracing, long-admiring gaze? Finally, in order to freely see him and Spur him to ponder his manners, I gathered my courage to forewarn Cat: That we would make a sculpture of him: In his image — An identical twin in sandstone, Likely for the same reasons as that Cat-adoring, ancient pharaoh, who decided To share with all his people The Sight Of his fantastic cat, Who also always refused to be stared at Or stroked when taking a nap. So, i quoted what pharaoh Probably said to his own dear cat, “I’ll show you!” Adding in a mumble, “And in more ways than one!” Whereupon,eons ago, that pharaoh, who should Have been preparing for the regular start Of famines and plagues, Commanded the labor of thousands of slaves To sculpt a double of his favorite cat, Whom he had named Sphinx, Who’d bristled and arched his back High while sounding viscous, “H-iii-ssss-es!” Whenever he’d been looked at long By his royal pharaoh, Who didn’t live to see the monument’s building End with its last Heavy stones heaved into that Sculpting of his dear Sphinx’s twin, Of course, neither did that cat Sphinx, live so long. He died, was embalmed, and entombed somewhere Within his world-wondrous twin — For forever (like a modern breadbox) with His stne snake tail up over his back. Sphinx stays on an unending prowl — Without taking a step, Hunting for his pharaoh, hoping for rest under The touch of his hands. ——————————————————————————————————————————————— (c) sally young eslinger 11/9/2022 Thanks be to God…