I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots.
All day she sits upon the stair or on the steps or on the mat;
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
And when all the family's in bed and asleep,
She tucks up her skirts to the basement to creep.
She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice--
Their behaviour's not good and their manners not nice;
So when she has got them lined up on the matting,
She teachs them music, crocheting and tatting.
I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her equal would be hard to find, she likes the warm and sunny spots.
All day she sits beside the hearth or on the bed or on my hat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
As she finds that the mice will not ever keep quiet,
She is sure it is due to irregular diet;
And believing that nothing is done without trying,
She sets right to work with her baking and frying.
She makes them a mouse--cake of bread and dried peas,
And a beautiful fry of lean bacon and cheese.
I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
The curtain-cord she likes to wind, and tie it into sailor-knots.
She sits upon the window-sill, or anything that's smooth and flat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
She thinks that the cockroaches just need employment
To prevent them from idle and wanton destroyment.
So she's formed, from that lot of disorderly louts,
A troop of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts,
With a purpose in life and a good deed to do--
And she's even created a Beetles' Tattoo.
So for Old Gumbie Cats let us now give three cheers--
On whom well-ordered households depend, it appears.
Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots.
All day she sits upon the stair or on the steps or on the mat;
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
And when all the family's in bed and asleep,
She tucks up her skirts to the basement to creep.
She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice--
Their behaviour's not good and their manners not nice;
So when she has got them lined up on the matting,
She teachs them music, crocheting and tatting.
I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her equal would be hard to find, she likes the warm and sunny spots.
All day she sits beside the hearth or on the bed or on my hat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
As she finds that the mice will not ever keep quiet,
She is sure it is due to irregular diet;
And believing that nothing is done without trying,
She sets right to work with her baking and frying.
She makes them a mouse--cake of bread and dried peas,
And a beautiful fry of lean bacon and cheese.
I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
The curtain-cord she likes to wind, and tie it into sailor-knots.
She sits upon the window-sill, or anything that's smooth and flat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
She thinks that the cockroaches just need employment
To prevent them from idle and wanton destroyment.
So she's formed, from that lot of disorderly louts,
A troop of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts,
With a purpose in life and a good deed to do--
And she's even created a Beetles' Tattoo.
So for Old Gumbie Cats let us now give three cheers--
On whom well-ordered households depend, it appears.
T.S. Eliot
HAPPY BIRTHDAY POETIKAT!
14 comments:
Well, Thank you, Clever Pup! I saw a performance of "Cats" earlier this year, for the first time and I loved it! (Now I'll have to play my Webber cd today and I'll have to start looking for something appropriate for you.)
I'm going to have this poem in my head all day now.
I most humbly thank you for thinking of me and for the tribute.
Kat
P.S. That's a great illustration! (Who did it?)
Kat
Kat, I believe Rudyard Kipling drew this for his story The Cat Who Walked by Himself.
Have a great, albeit hot, day!
I haven't read that particular Kipllng story, but I have read Kim. Wonderful book, and a good movie, too.
love it. have a cat myself and made me think of her playful ways. she left us a chipmunk the other day, a display of her handy work in the evening air. cats are nuts, love to sit and watch them...
ha, ha...love this poem and the name Jennyanydots!
Buon compleanno, bella Kat.
bacini
svs & la julie
Hot? Hot? It's raining out there, and it's chilly. Not that I'm complaining. We were all beginning to look a little parched, here in Lotus Land -
Happy Birthday to Kat!
btw, how is it that until just now, I've never seen your paintings? Have I just never scrolled down that far, or did you just post them? Whichever - I love them.
What a great unusual combination - I was drawn to the image, unknown to me, then read on. I found my copy of Practical Cats illustrated by Edward Gorey - his take showing Jennyanydots busy conducting her troup of mice! Thanks for the reminder!
It was lovely to read the T.S. Eliot. I prefer to read the words rather than see the later stage show. But Kipling's illustration was new to me. And it's most effective.
Perfect way to celebrate dear Kat's bd![I think I live with
Rum Tum Tugger :O)
Just picked up a library weed of Old Possum's Book...but with drawings by Edward Gorey. What a find!]
Hope your week is great.
The perfect name for the cat, and I think you're right that Kipling did that drawing. Great stuff too!
really wonderful to read the poem and enjoy the illustration. thank you.
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