MRS. HIGGENS’ NUISANCE CAT
Copyright 2012 Gordon Kuhn
Poet In The Rain Productions
T’was Mrs. Higgins’ cat we all soon came to fear,
as the damn cat in hunger boldly grew closely very near
to anyone wandering loose about outside without a stick
to whack that furry devil beast with a good two handed flick.
Instead we pretended to not notice it upon each other happily chewing
while seated chatting with cookies as a pot of tea was brewing.
Someone said, finally and unashamedly, bring in the hound!
And so we trotted off to the local humane animal holding pound
to fetch back Rollie Rottenstien, a Rotweiler of some repute
whose winning streak in battles or puppies born no one would ever dispute
to face off old dead Mrs. Higgens’ cat, the terror of the day,
for the grand old puss was determined that she would not go but stay;
and the damn cat with glaring, daring eyes took daily total command
of all yards, drives, lakes, every acre and inch of all the land;
while we the neighbors of quite dead Mrs. Higgins were caught up in a fear,
afraid we’d likely lose a piece of flesh to the one who had been so dear
to the old lady now laying six feet down within her grave.
Too bad we hadn’t thought how many ankles might we could save
should we had stuffed old Mrs. Higgins’ cat in with her in her lonely grave.
I’m not saying I was at all a mean and evil man
but damn we surely could have come up with a prior plan.
Yet Rollie Rottenstein we thought might well prove to be the savior of the day
and should that be the case I was sure he’d gain favor and be able to forever freely stay.
Add perhaps a snip or two would make him easier in his future play,
but not before he met up with Mrs. Higgins cat that very summer’s day.
Sure t’was a grand sight we seen with that dog standing in the street,
Standin’ straddle in the middle just waiting for the meet.
And when he saw Mrs. Higgins’ cat a grin spread across his firmly set chin
for he was hungry, you see, and his ribs were showing through the thin.
Well that dog planted his feet solid upon the earth, he did,
And we sensed a can of hell was about to lose its bulging lid.
Then came from Rollie a mighty growl deep from within
that brought goose bumps to all our sweaty nervous exposed skin
as the distance sudden lessened between the two
from walking to a trot as old Rollie simply flew,
for there waiting before him stood a potential tasty chew;
and no one or thing before had ever slowed or stopped our Rollie,
and no one present called our life’s mission a wasted follie.
The dog, he set off in a trot for what he was sure would be a tasty treat;
and we waited most anxiously for the pair to up and meet.
Oh, how I recall that day when the world sudden shook
for Mrs. Higgins’ cat had read the dog as though he were a book.
The pair disappeared into a cloud of dust that filled the surrounding air
making it impossible to call the fight as we could not make out the struggling pair.
A minute passed and then five were gone and still the struggle went on and on
the afternoon passed into evening and then night turned into dawn
Until all hisses, growls and barks had settled
For this pair were of certain like kind and not at all un-mettled.
Then with weary expectant eyes to the clouded scene we were then drawn
as the sun its rays crept in as night was turned slowly into dawn;
and as the dust settled so that we could begin to see
what it was that the day held and the pair had come to be.
Then t’was a sudden shock that ran through the waiting crowd
a gasp surprised went up that was most terrible sad and loud;
for Mrs. Higgens’ cat came strolling slowly into view
and looking around at all who waited let out a gentle mew
while standing firm upon that dusty dirty roadway deck
with Rollie Rottenstein standing just behind with a leash about his neck. 6.10.2012
Poet in the Rain 