Nature
The Mysterious Cat
From The Congo and Other Poems (1914)
I saw a proud, mysterious cat,
I saw a proud, mysterious cat
Too proud to catch a mouse or rat--
Mew, mew, mew.
But catnip she would eat, and purr,
But catnip she would eat, and purr.
And goldfish she did much prefer--
Mew, mew, mew.
I saw a cat--'twas but a dream,
I saw a cat--'twas but a dream
Who scorned the slave that brought her cream--
Mew, mew, mew.
Unless the slave were dressed in style,
Unless the slave were dressed in style
And knelt before her all the while--
Mew, mew, mew.
Did you ever hear of a thing like that?
Did you ever hear of a thing like that?
Did you ever hear of a thing like that?
Oh, what a proud mysterious cat.
Oh, what a proud mysterious cat.
Oh, what a proud mysterious cat.
Mew... mew... mew.
Codex Note
A chant for a children's pantomime dance, suggested by a picture painted by George Mather Richards.
Cite this poem
MLA
Lindsay, Vachel. “The Mysterious Cat.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/lindsay/62/.
Chicago
Lindsay, Vachel. “The Mysterious Cat.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/lindsay/62/.
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