Ghosts remain invisible.
Charming angels hide.
My muses tease confusingly
As inspirations slide.
My cat purrs on no matter what
Troubles me or not.
She’s real enough to hold and feed
And with her neither of us need
More than we now have got.
Linked to dVerse Quadrille #26 hosted by Kim from Writing in North Norfolk using the word “ghost”. I am also reading Allen and Linda Anderson’s “Angel Cats” which might help explain the second stanza. For more information on them see their site Angel Animals.
Love what the contentment between the cat and you.. life can be good when simple I think
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When I think about it, there isn’t much any of us really needs. Thanks!
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A muse that teases with ghosts and content cats… one has to be happy with that!
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That muse keeps me busy and happy. Thank you!
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Oh Frank, I have angel cats! I love them as much as my real cats. I also love the shape and the changing rhythm of your Quadrille.
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I realized I didn’t have enough words in the earlier drafts and so I added an extra line in the second stanza. I like the 44 word count constraint. It kept me dissatisfied until the constraint was filled. Thanks!
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I’ll go back for a second look!
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That was when I was writing it originally. The posted version is the one with the extra line in the second stanza making a total of five lines rather than the expected four to get the word count right.
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I love this!
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Thank you!
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Love this – especially “My cat purrs on no matter what troubles me or not.” sigh.. cats are wonderful companions!
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Thank you! Cats are very companionable pets. So are dogs.
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Two cats who “purr, no matter what” allow me to share their home. Great write!
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From their perspective we may be their pets. Thank you!
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Cats are the most amazing creatures. We once rescued a young cat who was living, in the midst of an Iowa blizzard, under a dryer vent. Hence her right ear was frostbitten and the edge of it uneven. When we brought her home in our car, she lie in my lap and never stopped purring from the moment of human contact until we set her on the floor in our house. We named her Purrsalot! 🙂 Love that you brought this memory back for me!
And yes, I do believe in angels……the most kind of ghostly creatures 🙂
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Purrsalot is a nice name. When my daughter rescued a cat, she called it Caitlin or Cat for short. Our cat’s name is Kiki, because one of the members of our family couldn’t quite pronounce “kitty”.
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Nice little poem …. full of contentment ….and cats certainly know how to bathe in that!
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Thank you! I was hoping the sense of contentment permeated that poem.
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Oh Frank, you and your angel cats. I just love this, that your cat is all you need ad the contentment that comes from contemplative living. The rhyme and such add to the brevity of this form and glad it caused you to work a bit harder.
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Thank you! I enjoy working on them. I just recently found that book by the Andersons on angel cats.
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Again, it works so well. I love the flow of that second stanza.
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Thank you!
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How very happy you both sound!
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I hear the frequency of a cat’s purr is just about perfect for a human. I wonder if our breathing soothes the cat as well. Thanks!
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Happy contentment all around ~ But tease the muse to come out more often ~ Good one Frank ~
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When she’s not teasing me, I’ll to find some way to tease her. Thanks!
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Ever listened to a lion or tiger purr? It’s unnerving, like hearing the buzz of a 400 lb bee. I love your message & sentiment–but hey, ill health & our President leave me shaking with discontent.
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I hope your health gets better. I wouldn’t get a lion or tiger, but a cat might be therapeutic. I don’t think the cat would help with the President, but who knows? According to the Andersons they can be angels.
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Well said! And I always enjoy a rhyming Q. 🙂
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Thank you!
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sounds like you and your cat have a place of peace where the muse is free to roam.
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It is peaceful. Thank you!
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Love this, Frank. It makes you think about what is necessary to your life.
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Thank you! One doesn’t need much.
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How nice to have a companion in the house!
Hank
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There are plants as well, but they don’t purr. Thank you!
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It sounds so peaceful 🙂
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Thank you!
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Those cats do have a way about them.
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For some reason they like being around us. Thank you!
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Contentment purrs…delightful, Frank!
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Thank you!
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lovely sound of your purring poem, but ghosts are visible. Sometimes…and only if they want to…and only if you want to see them…:)
Many greetings from Germany, Karfunkelfee
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I agree with you about ghosts. I’ve seen one myself decades ago, an aunt who had recently died. Muses are also pretty active. The poem starts with ghosts, angels and muses being relatively silent to emphasize my cat. Thanks!
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Delightful write Frank. Cats n You n Angels all seem to be doing fine.
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I hope we’re doing fine. There are those moments when I wonder, but I figure there is no need to doubt it. Thanks!
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In praise of the concrete and the tangible touch – nice take on this theme
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Yes, my cat has the benefit of being tangible as well as audible, but then I assume too quickly that she’s just a cat. I needed the Andersons’ book to tell me that more might be going on than I expect to see. Thanks!
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oh, i adore this. i agree, kitties are wonderful writing companions!
stacy lynn mar
http://www.warningthestars.com
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They are very nice companions. Thank you!
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We are to often quick to complain about what we lack, so it’s nice to here a reminder about being content.
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I need that reminder myself and the cat indirectly provides it. Thanks!
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Cat purring on my lap as I read this. Sometimes that is all that is necessary.
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I hear a cat’s purring is also therapeutic for us but I can’t remember what it was supposed to cure. Maybe everything? Thanks!
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🙂
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Purrfect jump from the intangible and elusive to contentment in the simple gifts of life. Gratitude for what one has in the moment can be wonderfully calming. ❤
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I am glad you noticed that jump. I was hoping the stanza break made that. Thanks, Olga!
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This made me smile.
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Thanks, Linda!
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Cats have the wisdom! Nicely crafted and rhymed.
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Thank you!
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A nice ode to contentment. I like the reference to inspirations sliding.
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Thanks, Janice! Sometimes inspiration slides away from me, but the cat doesn’t mind.
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Does that mean she/he gets more attention when you’re not writing or that it takes more earth shaking matters to ruffle his contentment ? Both would apply to our pet family.
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I would think if there were earth shaking matters we would both lose that contentment until the problems are resolved. How fast it would take to resolve might depend on how much we think we need before we can relax again. I would have to be at home to give her attention at all, but when I am at home my lap is available usually for as long as she wants it even when I’m writing.
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Well, Frank, you are ending my day with a big smile. Such a fun and effective use of rhyme and meter. As usual.
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Thank you, Victoria! I glad you liked it!
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This is very enjoyable. I love the contrast between the human’s worry and the cat’s relaxed contentment.
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Cat’s can also help us relax. I think the purring is sometimes just what we need. Thank you!
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What a wonderful poem! We are blessed when we are content with what we have. It’s such a great place to be. Leads to More Happiness. Thanks for sharing this.
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Often we have all that we need for happiness and even more happiness and don’t realize it. I am glad you like the poem!
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Lotta truth in your poem and your comment. We just need to start “realizing it” more!!
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