IN THE COURT OF CATS
"IN THE COURT OF CATS"
By Austin Fwasan Maseko
In the grand court of cats, I stand accused
A lowly rat on trial, with justice confused
The judges' whiskers twitch, their ears perk high
As they scrutinize me, with a skeptical eye
The prosecutor purrs, with a sly little grin
"A menace to society, this rat within"
She lists my crimes, with a flick of her tail
Stealing crumbs and cheese, without fail
I tremble with fear, as the charges are read
Guilty by association, my fate's already sealed
The cat judges confer, their tails entwined
Their verdict is clear, their sentence defined
Banishment to the shadows, where I'll hide and creep
A life of scraps and fear, forever to keep
But I argue back, with a squeaky little voice
"Am I not a creature, with a right to rejoice?
I scurvy for food, like you hunt and play
Why is it wrong for me, to survive each day?
I clean up crumbs, and scraps that you leave
Keeping your home tidy, is that not a noble deed?"
The cat judges pause, their ears perked in surprise
A glimmer of doubt, in their feline eyes
They confer once more, their decision revised
A compromise reached, a new sentence devised
"Banishment is too harsh, for a humble rat like you"
They decree, with a nod, "you may scurvy through"
But stay out of our way, and keep your distance true
Or face the consequences, of our feline crew
I breathe a sigh of relief, as the verdict is read
A small victory, for a rat like me, indeed
I scurvy away, with a newfound sense of pride
For even a lowly rat, can make a dignified stride.
The cat judges rise, their robes flowing free
Their eyes gleam with wisdom, as they depart the tree
Their verdict may seem strange, to the feline crowd
But justice is served, in this curious, upside-down world we live in, proud.
Copyright © Austin Fwasan Maseko | Year Posted 2026
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