 | Childhood songs |  |
132
CAT-QUESTIONS.
Dozing, and dozing, and dozing!
Pleasant enough,
Dreaming of sweet cream and mouse-meat,—
Delicate stuff!
Pleasant enough,
Dreaming of sweet cream and mouse-meat,—
Delicate stuff!
Of raids on the pantry and hen-coop,—
Or light, stealthy tread
Of cat-gossips, meeting by moonlight
On ridge-pole or shed.—
Or light, stealthy tread
Of cat-gossips, meeting by moonlight
On ridge-pole or shed.—
Waked by a somerset, whirling
From cushion to floor;
Waked to a wild rush for safety
From window to door.
From cushion to floor;
Waked to a wild rush for safety
From window to door.
133
Waking to hands that first smooth us,
And then pull our tails;
Punished with slaps when we show them
The length of our nails!
And then pull our tails;
Punished with slaps when we show them
The length of our nails!
These big mortal tyrants even grudge us
A place on the mat.
Do they think we enjoy for our music
Staccatoes of “scat”?
A place on the mat.
134
Staccatoes of “scat”?
What in the world were we made for?
Man, do you know?
By you to be petted, tormented?—
Are you friend or foe?
Man, do you know?
By you to be petted, tormented?—
Are you friend or foe?
To be treated, now, just as you treat us,—
The question is pat,—
To take just our chances in living,
Would you be a cat?
The question is pat,—
To take just our chances in living,
Would you be a cat?
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