Thou little tailless cat with coat of jet,
Whose amber eyes with ecstatic dew are wet,
As on my lap thy paws beat even tread,
“In-out, in-out” – as though thou’rt making bread!
“Alice” we called thee from the day we saw
Thy look of wonder when from bed of straw
Thou viewed the outer world so big and grand;
What better name than “Alice-in-Wonderland?”
And “Alice” thou hast been six months or more,
As free from mice thou’st kept the stable door;
But now we find with quite a sense of shame,
That thou’rt no lady! – We must change thy name!
So “Tommy-Alice” thou must henceforth be;
Thou mighty hunter! – arrogant, bold and free!
O shall we see thee every morning early
Still bounding forth to greet our cry of “GIRLIE!”
(source: ‘This Purple Misted Isle’ Manx Poems by Kathleen Faragher; photo)
