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never just a cat -

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** SUGAR **

oh little one, mine how you have stolen my soul, completely you worked your furry way inside, and grew my heart to twice its size you taught me, in your endlessly patient way, what is truly important you have the sweetest, most gentle spirit of any creature I've ever known and I can no longer imagine a world without your fuzzy smile. you are the very embodiment of love, unconditional and my bright spirit grows every day with my need of your need of me. I once told someone how much you mean to me and they replied, "But it's only a cat!" "oh, how foolish you are", I said ... "how much joy and love and tenderness you deny yourself!" if only they, and every other cold-hearted person, could know you or have something in their life as sweet as you what a different world this would be ... full of abiding happiness and love. you are everything to me, little one and I care not who finds me silly or foolish because of that or who finds my time spent with you as wasted or who sees you as "just a cat" ... for you are a part of me, and always will be as surely and deeply as any other creature I've ever known. you are a blessing and a miracle sent from heaven and I have a full, full heart and a charmed life all because ... of You. ~ 1st Place ~ in the "Cat Poems" Poetry Contest, Tania Kitchin, Judge & Sponsor.

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Caren Krutsinger

Date: 8/24/2018 7:15:00 AM

This entire missive is heartfelt and marvelous, but I love this, "For you are a part of me, and always will be As surely and deeply as any other creature I've ever known." You have a very lucky cat.

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/27/2018 1:33:00 AM

Thank you so much, Caren ... I am the lucky one, to have been blessed with her sweet and gentle spirit. Blessings! :-) <3

David Smith

Date: 8/18/2018 5:14:00 PM

Perfect. Written with heart and soul. You can tie a ribbon round this one. Also poetically correct and good read. Regards David in NZ

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/20/2018 2:47:00 AM

This is such a nice comment, David, and I greatly appreciate the kind words, my friend! I hope to live near you someday, (NZ or South Pacific), if dreams pan out. Blessings and many thanks! :-)

Virginia Waters

Date: 8/14/2018 11:50:00 PM

a very gentle poem and cat . congratulations on both and top win

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/15/2018 12:51:00 AM

Thank you so much, Virginia - I'm pleased you enjoyed it! :-) <3

Susan Gentry

Date: 8/13/2018 2:54:00 PM

Sigh..Your poem is makes my heart feel warm and safe. It's a special bond we have with our pets and you explain it well. Congratulations on your #1 win. Truly a work of art. :)

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 9:58:00 PM

This is very sweet of you, Susan, and I so appreciate your kind and heartfelt comments ... I wish I could say I put a lot of work into this, but it's so easy to write from the heart when it's so full of love. She is a part of my family, and I love her that way ... I honestly don't understand people who DON'T love their pets that way, cuz they steal your heart. I have another cat named Princess, and while she drives me crazy most of the time, she is family, too. But Sugar is my joy - if you knew her you'd know why. It sounds like you have some "little loved ones" yourself, so you probably know already! ;-) <3

Joanna Daniel

Date: 8/13/2018 1:45:00 AM

Ah! Sweet Sugar, lovely write and a great win:) congratulations, Greg:)

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:36:00 AM

Thank you so very much, Jo, I greatly appreciate it! :-)

Eve Roper

Date: 8/12/2018 10:46:00 PM

Magnificent write, Greg, congratulations on you great win! Hugs Eve

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:36:00 AM

Many kind thanks to you, Eve, blessings! :-) <3

Sara Kendrick

Date: 8/12/2018 6:10:00 PM

Congrats on your winning work. Reads like a love affair is going on in your life. Sara

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:36:00 AM

Thank you so much, Sara, that's very sweet of you, my friend! :-) <3

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 8/12/2018 11:56:00 AM

Your beautiful poem is such a gorgeous tribute to our feline friends. It makes me miss my cat even more. That affectionate purr is music to my ears. You must be such a lovely human being to appreciate their kind of devotion. Your poem deserves to be in First Place Greg! Congratulations my friend! : )

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:35:00 AM

This is such a sweet comment, Connie, and I thank you so much for the wonderful words ... I wish you could meet Sugar ... her gentle spirit makes love and devotion very easy, and writing this quite easy. I am blessed! :-) <3

Francesca Pappadogiannis

Date: 8/12/2018 10:07:00 AM

Beautiful words Gregory. So much love and passion for your cat!! Congratulations :)

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:32:00 AM

Thank you so much, Francesca - very kind of you! :-) <3

Line Gauthier

Date: 8/12/2018 9:20:00 AM

No wonder you won a gold medal for this gem. Congrats, Gregory. How divine!

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:32:00 AM

That's very kind of you, Line, thank you very much, friend! :-) <3

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 8/12/2018 5:55:00 AM

Back for congrats! I love your heart for cats, dear friend!

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:31:00 AM

Thank you for the kind words, Kim, I'm so pleased you enjoyed this one! So easy when you write from the heart ... the words just flow. Blessings, Dear Friend! :-) <3

Jan Allison

Date: 8/12/2018 5:50:00 AM

I adore cats, wish I wasn't allergic to their fur, many congrats Greg:-) hugs Jan xx

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:24:00 AM

Thank you very much, Jan, I'm so sorry you're allergic ... they are such joy! :-) <3

Greg Gaul

Date: 8/12/2018 5:47:00 AM

Congrats on your win. You've redefined the idea of love for cats. They are amazing. Korat thanks you too. He can't write yet but he talks rather well.

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:23:00 AM

Thank you so very much, Greg, I greatly appreciate the kind comments ... and please thank Korat for me as well! :-)

Reason A. Poteet

Date: 8/12/2018 5:30:00 AM

Such a treasure, your cat, as well as this lovely description of cats. It sounds just like my husband talking about his daschund. Congrats!

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:22:00 AM

Many kind thanks to you, Reason, I so appreciate the kind comments, my friend! :-) <3

Roy Pett

Date: 8/12/2018 5:20:00 AM

Congratulations on your well deserved win Gregory, being a cat lover I can certainly relate to your exceptionally well written poem. :))

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:21:00 AM

That's very kind of you, Roy, I thank you so much, my friend! :-)

Tania Kitchin

Date: 8/12/2018 4:20:00 AM

Excellent poem, congratulations on your first place win.

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/13/2018 4:20:00 AM

Thank you SO much, Tania, I'm honored that you found it so worthy, and humbled to be on a list with such great poets! Blessings! :-) <3

Wendy Watson

Date: 8/10/2018 7:46:00 AM

Such sweet sentiments, Gregory. For some reason, the lines : "Oh, how foolish you are", I said ... "How much joy and love and tenderness you deny yourself!" rang of Goethe, in the 'The sorrows of young Werther' I shall have to re-read it now to discover the related emotions!

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/10/2018 7:19:00 PM

Oh, my, what a wonderful reference ... to be spoken of in the same sentence honors and humbles me greatly - thank you so much for that - it made my day! Many years since I read it, I doubt I remember much ... time to revisit! (My 10th read of the Harry Potter series will have to wait, lol!). Thanks and blessings, my friend! :-) <3

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 8/10/2018 7:25:00 AM

Beautiful, Gregory! I adore cats but I am allergic. Never stops me from accepting one on my lap but I no longer have one. My grandson would be a cat if he could, loving them since he was a baby. I see a winner in this one. Won’t be surprised if it is a top win!

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/10/2018 7:16:00 PM

That's very kind of you, Kim, I'm so sorry you're allergic ... they are so much joy! I may write a book on cat communication one of these days, as I have been learning and gathering wisdom for many years. I love dogs, too - people say cats are not affectionate like dogs, but they are, people just don't know how to "talk" to them ... they love to be included in everything we do, but many folks keep them at a distance, and think they're snobs, or that they're just not loving ... so untrue! Blessings, friend! :-) <3

Caren Krutsinger

Date: 8/10/2018 7:00:00 AM

This is so beautifully written, and sums up not only your feelings for your cat, but all of our feelings for our dogs, cats, and in my case, a semi-pet opossum. Nice! Good luck in the contest.

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/10/2018 7:13:00 PM

Thank you very much, Caren, I have a possum that I feed every night, and a family of foxes, turkey, deer, birds, (the crows every morning), skunks, raccoons - we are here to help them, don't you think? And appreciate them ... it's no mistake they come to our doors! Blessings, my friend! :-)

Manmath Dalei

Date: 8/10/2018 4:15:00 AM

DEAR GREGORY, BEAUTIFULLY PENNED. BEST WISHES FOR THE CONTEST. I LIKE IT......HUGS//MANMATH

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/10/2018 7:11:00 PM

That's very kind of you, Manmath, I greatly appreciate the kind words, my friend! Blessings! :-)

Tom Cunningham

Date: 8/10/2018 3:50:00 AM

How very true, pets definitely become part of the family and bring much joy to their owners. Good luck in the contest. Tom

Gregory Richard Barden
Date: 8/10/2018 7:09:00 PM

Amen, Tom, well-said - I'm pleased you liked it! :-)