Guilded Cage
My big friend has locked me
Inside of his house
I do not believe
I will ever get out
I don’t really mind
It’s comfy and warm
And except for that dog
I never face harm
In the earliest days
of my feline existence
A tough stray I was
Eking out my subsistence
Having lost all connection
With Mother and sibs
I started to shrink
Showing off my fine ribs
Yes, life was tough then
But I was up to the task
Should you doubt what I say
Here’s some others to ask
The cars that hurt me
And mangled my ear
I learned to avoid them
And never go near
All the invaders
That dared enter my space
They howled and cried
From the wounds on their face
Of course there are more
The list can go on
But you get the story
In this yard I’m the one
Then one gray day
‘fore the onset of freezing
I sat with my friend
Drawing warmth from his knee
He held me in close
As he is oft to do
And took me inside
This was scary and new
Everything was different
No singing of birds
He spoke to me softly
In those strange human words
“I know that you love
to be outside and free,
but your wild escapades
leave me in misery”
“Three years ago,
I could have bid you farewell.
But losing you now
For us both would be Hell”
“We’re making you family
No longer a stray
You can live here in comfort
Til your very last day”
And so it was done
No one gave me a vote
Now I don’t really need
My glorious black coat
It’s always warm here
I might as well be naked
There’s fresh food aplenty
No creature will take it
But there is no excitement
I just lay in the window
And ponder the world
I no longer go into
I gaze out upon
The birds in the garden
And dream of the joy
I would feel if I ate them
One day I spotted
The gray cat named Jester
An enemy mine
I had formerly bested
How dare he just enter
As if it’s his yard!
Alas, I can’t stop him
So, for him .. not too hard
My pride, it’s in shambles
My soul duly crushed
I have no domain
‘cept the world in this house
But wait, there’s the key
In here I am King
I will rein over all
Every indoor living thing
No spider is safe
Every fly my next victim
All the vermin be warned
I’ll most certainly get them
I will hunt them and stalk them
All day and all night
They will consider me Boss
With a most dreaded fright
I feel much better now
My shame has departed
There’s fine work to do
I had better get started
But not now, no hurry
There are beds in this house
I must try a nap in one
Then! .... Then I’ll go find that mouse
Copyright © Paul Gerwin | Year Posted 2019
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