Monday, January 12, 2009

Cat Haiku

My dear friend and neighbour (now there are two words I thought I'd never string together) Kathy gave me a book of cat haiku for Christmas. For those of you unfamiliar with haiku, they are Japanese poems with very strict guidelines (exactly seventeen syllables in three lines of five, seven and five) which are deceptively simple looking but with very deep souls.

Think of each one as a tiny, perfect, handmade chocolate truffle in a silk lined box from one of those shops staffed with Parisians in black aprons who treat everyone as though they're interrupting them from something très importante but you keep going back because the baked goods are so imcomparably fresh and delicious, especially the warm, flaky croissants au chocolat which you think you get away with eating "what? me? nothing, I was just out getting milk" forgetting all the flaky crumbs of fresh pastry that litter your sweater front....




Boris the would-be poet, if he ever felt so inclined.

My name is Boris.
Yes, you may pet me. Not there,
No, not there. Stop it.

Got any pet haiku in you? Give 'er your best shot.

28 comments:

Jenny Meyer Graman said...

No pet Haiku, but I particularly liked this one:

I sit in front of
The door. You open it; I
Stare. Nope. Changed my mind.

I think cats suffer from short term memory loss - particularly in winter. They go to the door and meow. Closest human opens door. Cat looks and turns back into the house. Five minutes later - rinse and repeat. Sigh... Maybe it's time for that kitty door.

A Novel Woman said...

Hi Jenny!

Yes, it reminds me of the Garrison Keilor In and Out Cat Song. You can google it or listen to it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpSJWzGVv78

nightsmusic said...

This cupboard is mine.
Dobermans don't fit. They try,
but I am immune.

Dedicated to my cat, who moved into one of my bottom cupboards in the kitchen when the rescue dobie decided she'll make a good snack :)

A Novel Woman said...

Good one, NM! You've got a cat and a dog!

Anonymous said...

Brought you a present,
but why did you scream at me
for the dead grey mouse?

BB said...

Can I confess I have NEVER written a haiku... well not for at least 25 years!! I'll go away and have a think...

Can I say how much I loved your Cirque acrobatics story... I giggled for 10 minutes after I read it. Too funny!!

Also, I need to know: is your hair still like the photo you use here? I don't know why, but I still have your other photo in my head when I picture you...
:-)
BB

nightsmusic said...

Actually, these are my bookends...

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c27/nightsmusic/Misc%20Pics/bookends.jpg

Devil dogs! LOL Velcro dogs is more like it.

If the cat ever leaves her cupboard, maybe I'll get a picture of her...one day...some day...maybe...*sigh*

A Novel Woman said...

Anne (clapping) well done.

I can provide photos to go with it, if you like. (evil grin)

Bush Babe, you have no idea what an idiot I felt like, and yet...I did it. And my new seat mate was awful. He was on his way to Hong Kong, spoke no English, and kept leaning over (and into) me to wave down the flight attendant every time he ventured out behind the Magic Curtain. It was business class, for crying out loud. He was going to get served.... then he blew his nose and flung the used Kleenex at my feet, then leaned his arm on the seat ahead of him, touching the woman's head with his arm. Oh, he was charming, but there was no way to get back into my old seat!

Funny you should mention my hair. What are you, psychic? I had it done this week, a much softer brown with "caramel" highlights. My husband is much pleased.

Waiting for a horse haiku from you. Bush Babe, Bush Babe, Bush Babe and her horsie haiku (to be sung to the Skippy the Bush Kangeroo song. Hands up those of you who remember that show?)

BB said...

Fuzzy noses seek
Endless legs gambol then baulk
Antics grab my heart.

or (for our Middy)...

Wild black feline stares
Lamps gleaming, demanding food
And not just dried stuff!

Deep or what?

:-)
BB
PS WV is 'boutgine' which sounds like a french word for ... ummm... food. Or booty? No? Heh.
PPS NExt WV is gootesc (not so french!)

Unknown said...

Shaft of sunlight on
my silken back, the phone bill
beneath me. I snooze.

My cat, Fox, and the Old Goober's cat, Buster work in tandem conspiracy. Buster knocks the bills off the counter, Fox parks his rather generous sized butt on them and snoozes. The Old Goober then spends the afternoon searching through files for the phone bill. *grin*

Anonymous said...

Raised hand.....Skippy the Bush Kangarooooooo. What do I win?

Brink said...

Kiss on a teardrop
Makes it all better. Sometimes.
Or just wipe it off.

Deniz Bevan said...

I haven't thought of one for my own cats yet... something about drinking from a faucet or chirping at the ceiling... but I like Boris' :-)

A Novel Woman said...

BB, Love 'em!

Betty, aren't cats odd that way? My old cat Percy used to do that. And he'd walk all over my homework while I was working and nudge the pen out of his way.

Brink, that's like, DEEP my sistah! Good one. You might be a poet and not even know it, but your feet show it....they're Longfellows.

Still waiting Deniz.

meand2kids said...

Sunshine. Sleep. You turn
on the vacuum and I bolt.
I will get you back.

Julie K said...

In honour of Zoya, the clumsiest cat I know...

One simple misstep
She plunges headfirst, gets up.
"I meant to do that."

Really, that cat. A Lithuanian refugee wouldn't even pick her for dinner :)

A Novel Woman said...

me&2 Most impressive!

Julie, now I'm laughing too hard to sleep.(g) Ah, memories.....

Brink said...

I can ignore it.
That string moves slowly past me.
I’m not looking. Pounce.

A Novel Woman said...

Brink, Bravo!

haiku are like chips
after one, try to resist
but it is futile.

Julie K said...

Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to keep you awake. That's Boris' job:

Sleeping human, so
soft and sittable, I must
rest on your head now.

Anonymous said...

Your Haikes are FABULOUS!

here's one:

You may adore me
but it's not resiprocal.
It's hard for you, huh?

A Novel Woman said...

Yes Julie, yes Lynn! Keep 'em coming.

My other cat has equal time.

So many cats, so many haiku....

I guess I should give my dog equal time next.

meand2kids said...

Ahhh, one for the dog then..

Running. In circles.
My tail is just within reach.
Enough; curl up. Sleep.


You are right, these are addictive...
I should have known that my friend, and yours, Kathy, would hook me onto YET something else...

Anonymous said...

Love those haiku! How about

The newspaper is
mine. I sleep while you get cross.
The house needs cleaning.

Actually, although that is for my cat it could easily double for my husband.

I want out. Now in.
In please. Let me in. What took
you so long? Feed me.

A Novel Woman said...

Alyson, you speak for all of us with husbands and cats. Well done!

me&2 Ok, which Kathy are we talking about here? I know a Kathy C., a Kathy McG, a Kathy K. and a Kathy B.

meand2kids said...

Kathy Mc. Good friend.
Generous, kind, thoughtful and
great sense of humor.


Look, I can't stop...as I sit here eating the BAG of spelt crackers that we made at her house on Sunday, after I swore I wouldn't eat again after her delicious supper...God, I love that woman.

A Novel Woman said...

What is not to love?
She is funny and she bakes,
Then shares the carbs. Yeah....

Deniz Bevan said...

I copped out and posted photos instead :-)
(word verification: miCATi !!)