Reader Gloriana Casey wanted to share a recent experience -- in verse form:
"Arthur. the Hound, the Tree and Tom."
by gloriana casey / September 2010 in Altadena
Now Arthur, Cat of Camelot
was one day snoozing sound.
When Hound from hell, it startled him,
and up the tree he bound!
The Hound was captured, home he went,
but on my goodness, me!
While Hound was resting safe at home,
poor Arthur's in the tree.
This tree it was a lofty one
and many stories tall.
As branches swayed, so did poor cat,
with crying kitty call.
Day one, it passed, but no one feared
that he'd stay tree-borne cat.
Day two--no food nor water near.
He lived upon his fat.
Day three, he called to everyone,
declared his frightful state.
We heard him crying to the moon
and cursed his kitty fate.
The Fire Department, next was called,
and looked upon the scene.
"Oh, he'll come down when he wants food."
Those words were quite obscene!
For Arthur, cat, his fate seemed sure,
that he would starve in tree.
Oh me, oh my, what could be done
to set poor kitty free?
Then Gabe and Mary tried again,
plus Dave and I did too.
For Arthur's tree was oh so high,
we knew not what to do!
Then Mary thought of Rumi's fate
and how he once was treed.
She'd replicate that tree- cat tool
for Arthur much in need.
From hardware store, she bought her goods,
with bolts and PVC
to hoist that carrier right up,
quite simple, so you see.
But PVC, those poles do sway,
which led to Bo's big doubt.
"Would kitty walk into the cage,
then tip, and fall back out?"
So Bo, he called our neighbor, Tom,
with ladder oh so long.
Tom climbed way up to save Arthur,
and stop the crying song.
And Arthur sang to see more help,
as climbing Tom, he went.
But Arthur screamed to see this man
a stranger had been sent!
As Tom moved in, Arthur moved out,
oh, the branch was narrower.
Cat flipped and hung on for his life,
with yowls, a flying furrier!
As Tom moved more upon the branch
to shake poor Arthur down.
That branch got closer to the earth,
and FREEDOM, Arthur found!
But now we see him, now we don't!
From kitty in the tree,
he seemed to vanish all at once,
so where could Arthur be?
Ten minutes passed and up the drive
with gentlemanly gait,
as if five days had not elapsed
in Arthur's tree of fate!
A trauma true, and how we wish
and so appreciate,
when scariness is done and gone
that we'd be so sedate!***
