Cat Poems have been around for a long time, and it’s well known that writers often have a fondness for these charming creatures.
There’s undoubtedly a beautiful connection between cats and writers. Often, writers tend to be more enamored with cats than with dogs, though, of course, we can’t make sweeping generalizations.
Some claim that these furry companions are better suited to endure the long hours spent by literary experts in front of typewriters, computers, or simple notebooks.
This article aims to present a brief excerpt from those literary figures who dedicated their precious time to writing cat poems, showcasing their affection and passion for these beautiful creatures.
His full name was Charles Pierre Baudelaire, born on April 9, 1821, in Paris.
He dedicated himself to the profession of poet, essayist, art critic, and French translator, and of course, he wrote cat poems.
The Enigmatic Genius of Charles Baudelaire
Source : Wikipedia
Much has been said and praised about Charles Baudelaire for the unique way he expressed himself in his writings. His genius might have also been his curse; paraphrasing the illustrious Paul Verlaine, Baudelaire is considered one of the cursed poets of 19th century France.
A Poet of the Decadent Era
Another esteemed French writer, Barbey d’Aurevilly, referred to him as:
“the Dante of a decadent era.”
Now that we know a bit about this writer, it’s time to delve into an excerpt from his work. Considered the first of the cat poems in this article, “Les Chats” is a description of an almost perfect being; cat lovers would simply call it a michi.
Introducing Charles Pierre Baudelaire
Allow me to present the poet who had the greatest impact on French symbolism, Charles Pierre Baudelaire.
Passionate lovers and venerable sages, when they reach maturity, share a deep affinity for cats, the pride of the household. Like them, cats are sedentary and vulnerable to the cold.
Cats: A Symbol of Wisdom and Sensuality
These companions of science and sensuality prefer the silence of the night and the cruel shadows. If their pride yielded to majesty, they could be the somber steeds of Erebus.
The Dreamlike Elegance of Cats
In dreams, they take on the noble poses of the great sphinxes, lost in vast, solitary expanses, immersed in an unchanging slumber.
- Magical sparks glow on their tranquil haunches.
- Fine particles of gold, like impalpable sand, softly light up their mystical pupils.
“The passionate lovers, the venerable sages,
Feel, when they mature, the same predilection
For cats, pride of the home, that share their affection
For stillness, sedentary life, and winter’s chill stages.Friends of science and sensuality’s art,
They prefer the silence and cruel shadow’s grasp.
Steeds of Erebus they’d be, dark and vast,
Were their pride to bow to majesty’s heart.When they dream, they take on the noble pose
Of great sphinxes, lost where vast solitude flows,
Immersed in immutable slumber, profound and unshaken.Magical sparks glow upon their tranquil forms,
And golden particles, like impalpable sandstorms,
Dimly illuminate the mystic pupils they’ve awakened.”
— The Cats
Pablo Neruda
A Glimpse into Pablo Neruda’s Life
Pablo Neruda, whose real name was Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto, was a celebrated poet and politician born in Parral, Chile.
Many of us hold him dear in our hearts for his beautiful poems. While he may not have a vast collection of cat poems, the verses we are about to explore will undoubtedly touch our hearts.
Exploring Pablo Neruda’s Ode to the Cat
Let’s delve into one of the cat poems that eloquently captures our thoughts in prose as we gaze upon our feline friends.
Without further ado, here is Pablo Neruda’s Ode to the Cat:
Ode to the Cat
By Pablo NerudaI
Animals were
imperfect,
long of tail, sorrowful
of head.
Little by little, they began
to adjust,
becoming part of the landscape,
acquiring spots, grace, flight.
The cat,
only the cat,
appeared complete
and proud:
it was born completely finished,
it walks alone and knows what it wants.II
Man wants to be fish and bird,
the snake wishes for wings,
the dog is a disoriented lion,
the engineer dreams of being a poet,
the fly studies to become a swallow,
the poet tries to imitate the fly,
but the cat
wants only to be a cat,
and every cat is a cat
from whiskers to tail,
from instinct to live prey,
from night to its golden eyes.III
There is no unity
like his,
neither the moon nor the flower
has such consistency:
he is a singular being
like the sun or topaz,
and the elastic curve of his body,
firm and subtle,
is like the line of a ship’s prow.
His yellow eyes
left a single
slot
to deposit the coins of the night.IV
Oh little
emperor without a realm,
conqueror without a homeland,
miniature tiger of the living room,
nuptial sultan
of the erotic rooftop heavens,
the wind of love
in the open air
you summon
as you pass,
placing
four delicate paws
on the ground,
sniffing,
distrusting
everything earthly,
for everything
is impure
to the immaculate foot of the cat.V
Oh fierce, independent
creature of the house,
arrogant
vestige of the night,
lazy, athletic,
and distant,
profound cat,
secret police
of the chambers,
emblem
of vanished velvet,
surely there is no
enigma
in your manner,
perhaps you are not a mystery,
the whole world knows you and you belong
to the least mysterious resident.
Perhaps everyone thinks so,
everyone believes themselves owners,
proprietors, uncles
of cats, companions,
colleagues,
disciples, or friends
of their cat.VI
Not me.
I don’t agree.
I don’t know the cat.
I know everything else: life and its archipelago,
the sea and the incalculable city,
botany,
the female anatomy with its deviations,
the plus and minus of mathematics,
the volcanic funnels of the world,
the unreal crust of the crocodile,
the unacknowledged kindness of the firefighter,
the blue atavism of the priest,
but I cannot decipher a cat.
My mind slipped on its indifference,
its eyes hold numbers of gold.
The Majestic Cat
Oh, little emperor without a realm, a conqueror without a homeland, a diminutive salon tiger. You are a nuptial sultan of the roof’s erotic skies, claiming the wind of love in the open air as you pass by. You gracefully place four delicate paws on the ground, sniffing, distrusting all things earthly, for everything is deemed impure to the immaculate paw of the cat.
The Enigmatic Feline
Oh, fierce independent of the household, an arrogant remnant of the night. Lazy, athletic, and aloof, you are the profound cat, the secret police of the rooms. A symbol of vanished velvet, surely there is no enigma in your manner. Perhaps you are not a mystery; everyone believes they know you. You belong to the least mysterious inhabitant. Perhaps everyone thinks so; they all believe they are owners, proprietors, uncles of cats, companions, colleagues, disciples, or friends of their cat.
Discovering the enigmatic nature of a cat is a journey filled with wonder and intrigue.
The Enigmatic Cat
I do not know the cat. While I am familiar with the vast expanse of life and its intricate archipelago, the boundless sea and the immeasurable city, the wonders of botany, and the mysteries within the gynoecium, the complexities of mathematics with their pluses and minuses, the volcanic funnels of the world, the unreal shell of the crocodile, the unrecognized kindness of the firefighter, and the ancient blue of the priest, I find myself unable to decipher a cat. My reason slips in its indifference, captivated by its eyes that hold numbers of gold.
A Poetic Success
Isn’t it beautiful? Such has been the success of this poem that it has inspired numerous interpretations and parodies. Below, we present a video that references this Ode:
Jorge Luis Borges: A Literary Legend
Finally, we introduce you to another literary legend who, with love, crafted one of the most profound cat poems you will ever find. Borges was renowned for his playful use of language and multilingualism. Although he never wrote a novel, he dedicated his time to creating cat poems, which speaks volumes about his affection for these beautiful companions.
- Borges’ love for language and cats
- The beauty and mystery of the feline form
- Explorations of the cat’s enigmatic nature
According to Wikipedia, Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges was an esteemed Argentine writer known for his short stories, essays, and poems. He is widely regarded as a pivotal figure in both the realm of Spanish-language literature and the broader spectrum of world literature.
A Tribute to Borges and His Feline Inspirations
At House Gatitos, we cherish the art of poetry, especially when it comes to our beloved feline friends. While this may be our final poem in this article, it certainly won’t be the last on our site. We simply can’t resist sharing more of these enchanting verses. Without further ado, let’s immerse ourselves in this lovely poem…
A Poetic Reflection
The mirrors aren’t more silent, nor is the adventurous dawn more elusive; beneath the moon, you are that panther, glimpsed only from afar.
By some indecipherable decree of the divine, we search for you in vain; more distant than the Ganges and the sunset, yours is solitude, yours the secret.
Your back yields to the leisurely caress of my hand. You have accepted, from that eternity which is already forgotten, the love of the wary hand.
- Mirrors and their silent mysteries
- The elusive nature of the dawn
- The enigmatic presence of the panther
- The divine search for understanding
- The enduring bond of love and memory
In these verses, Borges captures the essence of a mystical creature, revealing the profound connection between the observer and the observed. The metaphorical journey through solitude and secrets speaks to the heart of anyone captivated by the enigmatic allure of the feline world.