Only a cat?

[Traditionalist]

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Sometimes he came when I called him,
and sometimes he simply demurred,
he knew when I felt sad and lonely,
and jumped on my lap then and purred.

We often went walking together,
him following close at my heels,
he had no real reason to do so,
but who knows how a cat feels?

He was independent, and moody,
playful, a nuisance, a friend,
he never asked for my fondness,
but still remained true to the end.

Some say he was terribly cruel,
when he played with the rats and the mice,
but I think that was merely his nature,
and not a particular vice.

I learned a great deal from observing,
his patience, and skill, in the field,
even large dogs did not phase him,
no creature would cause him to yield.

Of course he was quite independent,
he did not need me at all,
he stayed because he desired to,
just as he came when I?d call.

Eighteen long years I knew him,
and he never said a bad word,
he was faithful, and loving, oft silent,
but apparently often concurred.

He knew people well in a moment,
and the bad ones he gave a wide berth,
I don?t know how he decided,
but his instinct was true, and of worth.

Some say that I am quite foolish,
they may even be right at that,
but few people have given such pleasure,
as I got from my faithful old cat.

I have tied a few flies in remembrance,
from his beautiful black rainbow coat,
I will keep them of course, and not use them,
for they bring still a lump to my throat.

Oftentimes I have wondered,
if he even knew his own name?
did he even know he existed?
and did he much care for the same?

What brought him to come to my dwelling?
to share in my trouble and strife?
What moved him to offer me solace?
What did he think of his life?

He lies now under my garden,
burned deep in my memory as well,
dead and gone, but still not forgotten,
do cats also have Heaven and Hell?

TL
MC