Quiescet Percy
With the passing of a beloved pet, some of us write prose, and others may resort to verse, as I did.
I adopted a great big black tuxedo cat at the ASPCA on E. 92nd Street in Manhattan, and enjoyed him for 14 years, till he passed away.
The following is his requiem:
QUIESCET PERCY
On this day we come to bury
This noblest cat of wide acclaim.
We send him off on Charon’s ferry
Percy is his loved name.
Many greats do make this passing,
As brave Odysseus, full of tricks.
Beware this feline’s wide amassing.
Prepare to flood now, River Styx.
Aristocrats and cats, you’ll find,
When Percy be amongst your stead,
His purring is a one of kind,
And indeed shall wake the dead.
Planets shake and worlds collide.
Mountains quake and maelstroms stir.
Oceans flood and lands divide.
Nothing soothes like Percy’s purr.
All yee dwellers in Pluto’s realm,
Comes a high-born cat’s repose.
Furry-white tummy blinds Charon’s helm.
This bark’s led by big pink nose.
Great white whiskers, big white snout.
Great green eyes headlight this boat.
Shiny fur and body stout.
Great big black tuxedo coat.
The boat has landed, other side.
His journey finished, life complete.
Percy sure enjoyed the ride.
He jumps right off on big white feet.
-Clint , Percy’s adopter from NY
November 5th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
Clint, my condolences on your loss. We lost our beautiful tuxedo cat, Angel (after the vampire, not the heavenly creature. Believe me, he was NOT angelic)last July. He was 13. He had been having bladder problems, but we had worked through them. I actually had to make the decision to put him down over the phone from out of town. I didn’t expect him not to make it. I called my 16 yr. old son to go down and be with him at the end, which he did, brave boy (he’s now a Marine). I smiled all the way through your poem remembering how beautiful he was, especially the “big white feet”. I’ve never known anything so soft in my life as that cats feet. Like cotton balls on the ends of his legs. Angel loved to hide under the table and jump out and attack the children as they walked by. He used to scare each of them to death at least once a week! Even though we have five other cats in the house and at least a dozen outside, Angel was my favorite and I miss him like crazy. Thanks for reminding me of how beautiful he was.
November 5th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
This is an amazing tribute and story.
Please go to my site http://www.petloverstories.com and submit same-and register.
My site just started today and I want to share stories like your with the world to make the world a little kinder.
Thank you-
November 6th, 2007 at 1:12 am
Dear Clint,
November 6th, 2007 at 1:15 am
Dear Clint,
I was deeply moved by your poem for Percy. i just recently lost my cat of 15 years and it broke my heart. Being a poet myself i think it is wonderful you have a way to show the world who Percy was as a pet and friend. My thoughts are with you.
P.S. Sorry about the other reply!!
Sincerely,
Shay
November 12th, 2007 at 11:59 am
Your last verse reminded me so much of our Tom Boy. He had the biggest feet I had ever seen on a cat, and sounds like he could well have been a close kin of Percy. You have a talent with words.
Thank you for a good, cleansing cry. Sometimes it just has to be done.