Andrea Dietrich Poet Etheree

When Priscilla Died

When
all Mom’s
kids left home,
Priscilla, our
Siamese, lived on
to well past twenty years
of age.  One day, approaching
her litter box, she raised one foot,
gave forth a strange raucous sound, and then
collapsed.  The cat quite literally croaked!

*croaked is also American slang for died.
(I had introduced Priscilla to our family. I had been selling 
cards all summer at age 14 so that I could buy myself a bike,
and a lady I sold cards to offered that cat to me! Boy, did
she live a long time.)

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Keith Bickerstaffe May 13, 2012 at 11:33 AM Well constructed and rendered! I lost Siamese cats myself, so I know how you feel. My sympathies. Keith

Connie Marcum Wong February 2, 2012 at 10:44 PM Awwww. I had a Siamese cat that we all adored and one day we think she went to sun herself in someone's car and they drove off with her because she never wandered far from our house. Never saw her again. Cute kitty poem Andrea. Happy she didn't die a painful death.

Jack Horne February 2, 2012 at 1:33 PM Poor Priscilla - but she had a very good innings! Yes, we say someone croaked it over here too.

Daver Austin January 31, 2012 at 12:35 PM Yeah. My wife, Bev, had a Siamese named Mocho. Mocho's meow was a croak. Mocho loved Bev, hated me. Have you heard - "Have you seen Ben Hur?" "Yes, hated Ben, loved her." Seriously. My sympathy on the death of old Priscilla. Love, daver

Joe Maverick January 30, 2012 at 4:39 PM Yes i think the cat did well Andrea,, years well, good to visit here..)

Dinda Minardi January 30, 2012 at 8:08 AM Awww, glad that she lived long and spent times with you :)

Kabuteng P.Ink K. January 30, 2012 at 2:50 AM Well that must have been such a sight to see! If the cat hadn't died, i would have found this so funny looking! Thanks for the explanation for croaked, if nite I'd be imagining a cat that turned to a frog... Poor Priscilla but she sure lived long! :D

Jslambert Mister Roboto January 29, 2012 at 11:20 PM I thought this was going to be about Elvis' wife croaking...I'm so disappointed! ~ Ha...Nice write about creatures I do not particularly get along with CATS...Yuck, But I'm LEARNING! ~peace~JSL

Erich Goller January 29, 2012 at 10:29 PM That's a lovely and sad story poem,Thanks for sharing it.God bless you,Hugs!Vienna

Matthew Anish January 29, 2012 at 8:10 PM I had a cat named Bilbo for many years and i miss her. You describe such sad moments well. Let me know what you think of my poem "Flame of Udun". No one has commented on it yet! Peace & Love Matthew Anish

M.I.A . January 29, 2012 at 7:55 PM aaww, she's a lucky cat to be so well-loved (Did you get yourself the bike?).

Gwendolen Song January 29, 2012 at 5:17 PM What a quaint lil poem about such a significant event in your life..precious words here..I think you are right,...that cat CROAKED!...It's amazing how many cat poems are on the Soup...Bob H. loves to right about his big cat Simba too and my daughter loves reading his cat poems..Regarding the NIght and Day haiku series,...Melanie is night and I am day...I tried to be like NIGHT,,,it didn't work out very well..lol. I EMAILED YOU not soup mail, silly...Love ya, Gwendolen

Robert Pettit January 29, 2012 at 5:03 PM Your cat lived a very full life if she was beyond the age of twenty years. That was the equivalent of a human living for more than one hundred years. Good etheree Andrea.

Joyce Johnson January 29, 2012 at 2:52 PM About my fire story. Every bit of that is true. One paper said it was sixty below, but I think 50 is more believable. The fire engines couldn't help because their hoses froze before they could get a stream of water. It really did get that cold in North Dakota, once in a while in those days. Thirty degrees below was very common. Love, Joyce

Joyce Johnson January 29, 2012 at 2:49 PM This really hit a sore spot today Andrea. I have had two cats my Tiger who never get to go out and Greyboy who went in and out because he cried so loudly at the door I had to let him out. This morning as I went to church, I found him on the road dead. I drove over to my son in law's home and asked him to come and pick him up for me. He was gone when I got home a little while ago. Both my kitties were just 2 years old. My Tiger is missing him. Love Joyce

Linda-Marie Sweetheart January 29, 2012 at 1:27 PM a loving tribute to a special feline friend Andrea.. nicely penned..good luck if for contest on PS..luv.. great blog today .. waiting for results ..soon...

Nette Onclaud January 29, 2012 at 10:46 AM such kinship with pirscilla. andie... a locvng tribute to this pet who helped you become a better person... nice, nice stuff! :) huggs!

Deck Fitzgerald January 29, 2012 at 10:24 AM Much enjoyed Andrea thank you ,Declan xxx

Ralph Taylor January 29, 2012 at 9:34 AM Excellent piece, Andrea. Well written. They're especially tough losses when they've been part of the family for that long! Thanks for your comments. Best to you and yours. luv Ralph

Kash Poet January 29, 2012 at 4:58 AM I do think that a pet is a family member.She lived a long life.I think you told me of another one (name starting with C).Nice tribute here. Andrea Dietrich January 29, 2012 at 9:38 AM that was Callie Cat! She would have lived more than 18 years if we had known she had cancer . I could feel the bump on her but didn't get her to a vet quick enough. Was thinking it was just a hairball under her skin. If only I had known. She could very well be alive today.

Jancarl Campi January 29, 2012 at 4:53 AM I hate to laugh, but your use of the word "croaked" did that to me. Yes cats and dogs do live a long time. But parrots live even longer, some say 80 years. I would not want a pet that may liver longer than I. Yes, I enjoyed this poem you penned.

Maureen Lefanue January 28, 2012 at 10:05 PM Dear Andrea, We have nothing to fear. All we need to do is ask God daily to give us the strength to live our lives so as to please him. He does the rest. And since faith is a gift, all we can do is thank Him. Love, Maureen x

Poet Destroyer A January 28, 2012 at 9:42 PM Andrea, was she your cat... man sad way to die... your a meany... don't ask why... lol.. aren't you the same lady who gave her dog away.. the one you loved so much... well this is a very good poem.. glad to have read it..always,..pd

Judy Ball January 28, 2012 at 9:04 PM I had a cat named Smokey wo wa my first friend and first pet. He was a big black Persian and came to live with us when I was 6mos. old and he was 8wks. old. He lived to 18yrs. My Siamese, Sonya lived to be about 20yrs. old. Loved them both so much and still think of them. Great write. God Bless, JB Haven't met Maureen but would like to.

Dalila Agtani January 28, 2012 at 9:00 PM What a great poem dedicated to a beloved pet. A lovely name. She was lucky and you were lucky to have her a part of your household. Someone told me that a cat that comes by and you decide to have her stay brings you luck. Thanks for reading my poems. Your suggestions made a difference. Love Dalila