oda a los perros de Valpo – A link to poem dedicated to (stray) dogs in Valparaiso, Chile

Ode to a cat (Purho)

“cat”
what a wonderful concept is that!

a signifier of fur
of flicky tails
of paws with silky hair
and the pointed nails
as sharp as can be
hidden there
appearing from the fluffy pair
when he’s lying next to me
absolutely flat
on the shredded hall mat
and his needs for tenderness occur
accompanied with loud purr

a signifier of meows
of night vision seeing
of a predator type of being
hugely different from cows
and even more so from a horse
but still very nice
despite his lust for birds and mice
and most definately wise
albeit artistically coarse
as can be deduced
from the toothmarks
resembling those of shark’s
on my paintbrush he’s misused

…. (24.8.2011)

Fitting in (i.e. some cat philosophy)

Now here’s a thing:
you can fit in
almost anything.

Considering that,
as a matter of fact,
one should frequently dare
try something more rare
than the sofa and chair,
for instance a hat rack
or a small rucksack,
a full washing bin,
a jelly mold,
or, if that doesn’t hold,
a cake tin
– the means are manyfold.

Admittedly a bare
tissue paper square
won’t envelope the hair,
but the bulk stays there
which is more than most
flat pulp products will host.

You might look slightly foul,
somewhat like an owl
or a little bit funny
like a fat Easter bunny,
but why should you care
as long as you’re all there
with something underneath
redesigned with your own teeth.

There are the tricky cases
of horizontal bases
that are quite narrow at places
like a fence,
but if it’s really long
nothing can go wrong,
just use common sense
and keep the bicepts tense.

Another challenge is a shoe
which can be really hard to do
because it all depends
how your body bends
to what imagination lends
and where your patience ends
in trying to fold the feet
and adjusting your seat
so that it looks all neat

Ready packed suitcases
are among the best places
to taste the forbidden fruit
of pawing out of happiness
on top of a black party dress
or clawing the dark business suits
of the beloved servile brutes
clearly intending a flight
out of their master’s sight
while there’s still hope
to elope.

There’s some more risk
mounting a long play vinyl disc,
in fact,
for the nimble ear
or even for the hard to hear
the threat is so severe
I wouldn’t go even near
unless there is no choice
but to make a major noise
to inform the servants that
it’s time to feed The Cat.

However, after this
enormous adrenalin bliss
note your apprenhension
of the mounting tension,
and if you’re bright
and hate to watch them fight,
you shouldn’t give a miss
to a chance to reach some height
with all your might.

But it should be noted that
when the peasant is mute
he can be pleasant and cute
– so, if he allows you to nap
on the computer keys on his lap,
(the best possible base),
let him tickle your face
and stroke your fur,
and play back your loudest purr.

(…2011)