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Poetry Sunday: My Cats by Charles Bukowski

Anyone who loves and lives with cats will certainly recognize the truth in Charles Bukowski's poem. Yes, "they are limited," but then so are we. Perhaps together we make a whole.

My Cats

by Charles Bukowski

I know. I know.
they are limited, have different
needs and
concerns.

but I watch and learn from them.
I like the little they know,
which is so
much.

they complain but never
worry,
they walk with a surprising dignity.
they sleep with a direct simplicity that
humans just can't
understand.

their eyes are more
beautiful than our eyes.
and they can sleep 20 hours
a day
without
hesitation or
remorse.

when I am feeling
low
all I have to do is
watch my cats
and my
courage
returns.

I study these
creatures.

they are my
teachers.
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Comments

  1. David M. Gascoigne,October 8, 2023 at 5:24 AM

    They are independent-minded if nothing else.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AlanaOctober 8, 2023 at 2:15 PM

    Cats are mysteries and will always be.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lark October 8, 2023 at 3:15 PM

    I think I want to be a cat in my next life so I, too, can sleep 20 hours a day without hesitation or remorse. ;D

    ReplyDelete
  4. Deb Nance at ReaderbuzzOctober 10, 2023 at 7:22 AM

    I spent some time at a friend's bookshop this weekend and one of my favorite parts of the visit was spending time with her bookshop cat.

    ReplyDelete
  5. thecuecardOctober 16, 2023 at 8:02 AM

    Thx for the poems like this. I want to be a cat person though I'm a bit allergic. We have 2 dogs but I want a kitten too, Lol. This poem says it all.

    ReplyDelete

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