How do I break thee? Let me count the ways.
I break thee if thou art at any height
My paw can reach, when smarting from some slight,
I sulk, or have one of my crazy days.
I break thee with an accidental graze
Or twitch of tail, if I should take a fright.
I break thee out of pure and simple spite
The way I broke the jar of mayonnaise.
I break thee if I’m in a playful mood,
And then I wrestle with the shiny bits.
I break thee if I do not like my food.
And if someone they shards together fits,
I’ll break thee once again when thou art glued.
~Henry N. Beard, Poetry for Cats~
The photograph was taken during the first Christmas spent with our adopted stray cat "Timothy Mingz". The Christmas stocking is an extra stocking of my daughter with her name on it. We temporarily labeled the stocking with “Mingz” name and hang it in the cabinet where my favorite vase used to be an adornment until Mingz broke it.
The following Christmas I permanently named that stocking with Mingz’ name and just like my kids, Mingz always got presents from Santa on Christmas mornings.
A pang of sadness hit me as I hang the Christmas stockings last Christmas. Mingz went to cat heaven in February of last year. Last Christmas was the first Christmas without Mingz. I never replaced the vase even after he died.
I used the poem “How Do I Break Thee” to add a little lightness in this post. I saw that there’s an on going fun in Facebook that my fellow blogger is on that I interestingly joined. It goes like this:
“Fill Facebook with poetry. Like my status and I will give you a poet. Select a poem written by the poet and post as your status.”
“How Do I Love Thee” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is one of my most favorite poem. I just thought that it is fitting to add a poem patterned to this when writing about my most beloved pet.
How about you? Who is your favorite poet or what is your favorite poem? Can you relate it to your pet? Or to anybody?
Hala wala akong maisip na fave poet. I remembered Mingz. Na-sad nga ako for you when I read your post about it.
ReplyDeleteI dont fancy cats. I absolutely love Elizabeth Browning's how do i love thee.
ReplyDeleteAnd sorry to learn about the death of Mingz.
Dont have any favorite, but I admire those Who can write poems.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is my cat:)
Although there is a kick of sadness in this post for Mingz passing a year ago, still it was shadowed by the poem. Two of my favorite poets are Robert Frost and of course, (kaya tayo jive eh) Elizabeth Barret Browning. I remember her poem tasked to be recited in our speech class in College. I don't know our prof maybe was so obsessed with her works (lols) that's why she had us to recite it. And as usual, the poet in my rose to the occasion lols! I simply love poetry because you can express it without being censored.
ReplyDeletewow.... ako naman di mahilig sa poem... pero kapag nakakabasa ako... nagagandahan ako...
ReplyDeleteTimothy Mingz, sya nga ba yung cat nyo na pinost nyo dati? I remembered commenting on that. :/
ReplyDeleteHappy new year miss B! Hindi talaga ako fond sa pagsali sa mga games or the likes on facebook. :p
Walang katulad si (Mi)Mingz.. bigla tuloy ako nainggit sa kanya, buti pa sya may medyas at regalo twing Pasko... buti pa ang pusa...
ReplyDeleteBata pa lang ako, si Edgar Allan Poe at Joyce Kilmer na ang alam kong mga poet dahil yun ang tinuturo sa elementarya. Kadalasan mga poems nila ang nakasulat sa pisara. Yung trees, pinamemorize pa sa amin yun nung grade 5 isa isa sa harap ng class... hahays lang
Nagsenti ba daw talaga at nainggit kay mi..mingz hehehehe, good morning! ayan, aktib-aktiban nako sa blog haha para support-support ;)
DeleteAlways sad when a pet becomes a family member. I like writing poems but can't think of a poet right now, hmmm....
ReplyDeleteCat person ka pala. I like cats too but I'm not good in taking care of pets. I tried to take care of turtles. All three died because of my negligence. Buried all three in my aunts garden. Anyway, I'm really sorry for your loss. Sasabihin minsan ng iba na bumili na lang daw ng isa pa. Hindi kasi nila naiisip na family member na siya eh. You can't replace a beloved pet that easily the way you can't replace your sister or your mother.
ReplyDeleteAs for poets, my heart goes out for two poets- Christina Rossetti and Charles Bukowski.
By the way, Elizabeth Barret Browning is buried here in Florence in a very special cemetery. I'll write about it one day and pay respects to one exceptional poetess.
I remember that post of yours na super nakakasad,
ReplyDeletehays well ako naman ee di mahilig mag basa kaya wala kong kilalang poet