Hardy's Cat
Become a
Premium Member
and post notes and photos about your poem like Janine Lever.
Thomas Hardy was a legend of words, but a legend of a different kind is in English history folklore and that is, the body of Thomas Hardy lays in Westminster Abbey with other famous poets and writers, but his heart, lays within the body of a cat, buried in his home in Dorchester town by a wife who wished her husbands heart to remain near to her.
Hardy’s Cat
The night was cold, in Dorchester,
Fog threw his cloak around
The old-town’s streets, stood, grave-still,
The living, made, no sound.
As the church-clock struck its midnight hour
The towns folk, were all a-bed,
Counting the twelve strokes with a shiver,
T’was the time that raised, the dead.
The curse of Hardy’s cat was now awakened
That writhing, blackest thing
That ate the heart of a man whose pen
Could mark the very day of spring!
He whose words brought pain and promise
Whose poetry made the hare-bells sing.
You see, now He in death,was laid out on a table,
Requested by his loving wife
To find the cause, of a death that came so quickly
So he was opened, by the surgeon’s knife.
But alas! The maid called out the doctor,
And for a moment, he left, the chest open wide,
And a large, black cat sitting, watching
Jumped and stretched his paw inside.
The heart of Hardy was quickly eaten,
By a cat with now, bloody paws and head,
Who then suffered all the surgeons hatred
And was strangled, till he too, was dead!
Then, the cat was sent to Hardy’s widow,
With a note, to say where lay his heart,
And the thing was buried in the graveyard
Along with a human, body part!
And so, this night is cold in Dorchester
Fog, lays its murderous mat,
And the towns folk listen, to the screams and wailing,
Of a very, very, greedy cat!
Copyright © Janine Lever | Year Posted 2021
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment