If you breathe in the way of a cat
slowly and careful when preying on birds,
or purring: caressed into comfort by hands
or sleeping in warmth from the hearth;
if you hiss with each intake of air when
confronted by tom-cats in March
instead of mindlessly breathing the air,
burning what’s given to share;
how can you claim that you know
anything about life or about kittens?
Girl with a kitten by Lucian Freud
Poetry for Poetry Pantry, trying to catch up, and write 30 poems in April.
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April 22, 2018
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Ouch. I want that woman to hold the cat more carefully. I like your opening, breathing in the way of a cat.
Yikes! Some people can be cruel to animals oblivious of their needs and wants. Powerful write, Bjorn!
Yikes! Some people can be cruel to animals oblivious of their needs and wants. Powerful write, Bjorn.
A great poem that goes into the nature of cats whether hissing or purring. Only a cat ownet/lover could write this. But I find the pic a tad disturbing. The woman looks like she is choking the cat and is a trifle insane. Shivers.
The pic represent those who doesn’t know cats.
Love the description of breathing like cats….great observations. Of course that woman isn’t allowing the poor cat to breathe!
Yowza! Now this is just stunning – the images, the essences, and then, the ending? Absolutely perfect (oh, I am tempted … ah, why not? purrfect) ending. Damn fine question at the closure, which just punches this piece to a whole new level!
I like this poem very much and I echo the comments made above
We could learn a lot from cats!
Wow! Very “heady”
Loved the way you have presented this, people can be cruel.
And the woman is really killing the cat…!
We’re either cat people or dog people, Bjorn, although I’ve had both, and at the same time. 🙂 I’m really a cat person.
Nice writing.
I was just reading about Lucian yesterday. His work is wonderful.
I like the rhythm in the last few lines.
Oh cats are the best. They know how to live! Such special creatures. 😊
Good question! (love the write)
This poem articulates one of the great conundrums of living: what it is to ‘know’ something. A thoughtful and thought provoking piece.
Don’t think the lady in the picture likes cats. But you, you know a lot about kittens.
Good luck with your 30 poems.
Such rich descriptions.. though I must admit am not a cat person!!!
i think this is a great response to the picture.
i think most people like (or secretly like) cats. how do we account for the number of cat videos on the internet? 🙂
Well, I do my best to purr back to my cat. 🙂
I agree with what everyone else says about both the poem and the painting.
So many humans are like this, controlling not sharing. If I wasn’t a human I would probably be very wary of this foul animal.
Enjoyed this so much,as others have said, there is no “mindfulness” with this person handling the cat/kitten. Wouldst we have her in the kitten’s position (oops, not very nice) 🙂
How can she, indeed! Love the voice, the questions, what they imply… Now, I wish to read the story.
I wasn’t expecting the poem to end the way it does, but it certainly makes one question one’s affinity with cats.