The obstinate calico queen

She rules over rosebush hideouts,

rock parapets,
and fortified fences.

Her silky mixed form
stalks the garden at night
with luminescent emerald eyes.

Insatiable and insular,
myopic and inscrutable,
she rarely reveals
her perspective.

Confident but cautious,
she'll sleuth and slink
she'll hide,
and she'll think,
and hardly blink.

Mice, she dispenses with.
Intruders, she commences.
She's furtive and furry,
she's haughty,
naughty.
Yet empathy leaks
from her warm, curled nuzzle.

As a warrior,
she's gallant,
and her war cry warns:
this yard is off-limits
do not pass.

She's ready to leap 'cross the lawn like a bullet
when the bell for her buffet is rung.

She's ever so playful,
ever so cuddly,
this Calico Queen
long may she reign.

Author's Note

I've been told a calico cat is normally female. :D

Reviews

[Island Hippy]

Aloha relic, loved this! A poem as slinky as the subject, you captured his personality purrfectly. Great read. Izzy

[Relic]

haha, thank you very much Izzy. :)

[Island Hippy]

You're welcome

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Absolutely love this tribute to your "Calico King". Especially the second verse- both poem and cat in feline motion... love the "kibbles package" signal. Hail to the King! You know, I think I heard his "war cry" last night!:)

[Relic]

I've heard war cries many times o the side of my yard. Problem is, they're not my cats. :)
read moreI've heard war cries many times o the side of my yard. Problem is, they're not my cats. :)

Thank you Annette.

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Maybe they're your calico King's loyal subjects paying tribute!

[Relic]

Yes, maybe the jesters are holding court too. ha

[John Alexander McFadyen]

A celebrated p***y indeed. You portray the feline features and personality of this particular cat well as he prowls as a wild animal in domestic mode. I have just finished a novelette called Mrs. Pepper's Cats and I found the cat facts fascinating!

[Relic]

Well, I wish you the best of luck with your novellette John. Thanks so much for the review. :)

[Lorry]

This piece reminded me of a documentary I saw a while back, called the secret life of cats. In it, they got permission from the owners of cats in a village in England, to attach mini cameras and trackers to the cats, over the space of a month. I won't spoil it for you (I think you can see it on youtube), but I'm sure it would shock most to see what they get up to over a period of a month. It really was a great programme.
Great piece here, love the build up of the cat being emporer of all he or she perceives.....until feeding time :)

[Relic]

I saw the documentary. lol It was amazing indeed. I learned a lot from it. Thanks so much for the review. :)

[Lorry]

You're welcome :)

[Kelly Scheppers]

I'm such a cat person - always having multiples of them in my life. I'd be lost without them. I love this - it speaks to me and made me smile - like a cheshire cat!

[Relic]

:) I had two. Very lovable. One would sit on my lap every night. I could have done without the furballs but besides that, nice friends to have.

Thanks Kelly.

[Kelly Scheppers]

My pleasure!

[SJ Mullins]

I love this. I am a cat person. Brilliant write, friend.

[Relic]

Ah, thanks very much SJ.

[SJ Mullins]

You're welcome. :)

[humbleServant]

well done!! I like it! Long may she reign! cute!

[Relic]

Thank you very much for your thoughts. :)

[andrew mitchell]

Only a lover of cats could depict such nice images. Well written Tim.

[Relic]

I appreciate that, thank you. :)

[Great Aunt Astri]

Yes, indeed. 'As a warrior, he's gallant.' the Calico king! What a very beautiful poem!

[Relic]

Thanks very much Aunt Astri. :)

[Great Aunt Astri]

Thank you. And thank you, too.

[Enchanted-Raven]

Wonderfully descriptive, brought a smile....enjoyed very much :) x

[Relic]

Thanks so much Raven. :) x