[Stylist] cat poem by T.S. Eliot

[ckuell at comcast.net]

There's a lot of truth in this poem, Annie-and while I'm not a huge fan of
rhyming poetry, I think it works well here.

Thanks for sharing.

 

Chris

 

 

From: Stylist <stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Ann Chiappetta via
Stylist
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2022 4:10 PM
To: 'Writers' Division Mailing List' <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Ann Chiappetta <anniecms64 at gmail.com>
Subject: [Stylist] cat poem by T.S. Eliot

 

The Naming of Cats

T. S. Eliot - 1888-1965

 

 

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,

It isn't just one of your holiday games;

You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter

When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.

First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,

Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo, or James,

Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey-

All of them sensible everyday names.

There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,

Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:

Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter-

But all of them sensible everyday names,

But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,

A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,

Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,

Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?

Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,

Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,

Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-

Names that never belong to more than one cat.

But above and beyond there's still one name left over,

And that is the name that you never will guess;

The name that no human research can discover-

But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.

When you notice a cat in profound meditation,

The reason, I tell you, is always the same:

His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation

Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:

His ineffable effable

Effanineffable

Deep and inscrutable singular name.

 

>From Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Copyright C 1939 by T. S. Eliot,
renewed C 1967 by Esme Valerie Eliot. Used with the permission of Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt.

 

 

Ann M. Chiappetta, M.S.

Making Meaningful ConnectionsThrough Media 

914.393.6605 USA

Anniecms64 at gmail.com <mailto:Anniecms64 at gmail.com> 

All things Annie: www.annchiappetta.com <http://www.annchiappetta.com>  

 

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