Poem: A Rescue Remembered
I love winter and snow, bare trees and angled sunlight. Visiting my little back yard daily in all weather reminds me of the cycles, and when winter slush starts to seem old or the long nights start to seem longer instead of shorter I know that I only need to get up each day and remember this and it will change on its own.
But today it’s a little different—I’m watching my little world descend into colder cold than usual for my area, the gray light, the stillness as the earth protectively settles in for a short hibernation. I wish for all living things to be safe and warm in this time, and thank all of those who care for stray and feral cats living outdoors as well as those providing for wildlife.
Most of my cats, Mimi especially, join me at the big north window otherwise known as “Cat TV” to fill the bird feeders which provide our entertainment. The window is nearly a story above the ground, and a twiggy lilac stands just outside; below the window is a rough wooden shelf where years ago I had set window boxes for shade-loving summer flowers until there was too much shade even for impatiens. All the kitties lean out the window and breathe in the air, be it warm and mild or frigid and crystalline, and occasionally one or another will wander out onto shelf.
I wrote this poem two years ago when Mimi, suddenly bored with this indoor cat life, stepped out onto the windowsill headed for the shelf covered with ice, her tiny paws sinking into a light snow-cover, her fur ruffled by a stiff cold wind. She stopped, lifted one paw, turned around to look at me.
A Rescue Remembered
I open a window to fill a bird feeder,
little Mimi steps out onto the snow-covered windowsill,
squints at the cold,
lifts one tiny paw and curls it to her chest,
looks up at me;
yes, Mimi, I remember seeing you
outside on frigid, snowy mornings like this,
mincing gingerly down a frozen sidewalk,
all that is now but a story for your children.
poem “A Rescue Remembered” © 2011 B.E. Kazmarski
She wasn’t making a break for it, but remembering those days and enjoying the sweetness of her home.
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The illustration above is a different window—the bathroom facing east for the sunrise—but it’s Mimi looking out on a frosty December morning called “Looking Out on the Morning”. It reflects Mimi’s feeling about this subject as she looks out on a frosty morning from her windowsill with a jar of my paintbrushes; she belongs, she has a home, this home, it is hers now. I get the feeling she never forgets this.
I have this little illustration mounted on a 4″ x 4″ wood block in my Etsy shop.
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Enjoy other poems about my cats including a few poems I’ve recorded on audio or with slideshows.
Read other poetry on Today and on my poetry page.
Read other rescue stories on The Creative Cat.
Inspired by felines you know! Visit Portraits of Animals on Etsy for unique feline-themed gifts.
All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in using one in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of this image or a product including this image, check my Etsy shop or Fine Art America profile to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.
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This brings me tears..for where she has been..and smiles..for where she is now..your poetry touches my heart..