National Poetry Month

[brigdh]

From Jubilate Agno by Christopher Smart

For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.
For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his Way.
For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness.
For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer...
For when his day's work is done his business more properly begins.
For he keeps the Lord's watch in the night against the adversary.
For he counteracts the Devil, who is death, by brisking about the life...
For he is the cleanest in the use of his forepaws of any quadruped.
For the dexterity of his defence is an instance of the love of God to him exceedingly.
For he is the quickest to his mark of any creature.
For he is tenacious of his point.
For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery.
For he knows that God is his Saviour.
For there is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest.
For there is nothing brisker than his life when in motion...
For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements.
For, tho he cannot fly, he is an excellent clamberer.
For his motions upon the face of the earth are more than any other quadrupede.
For he can tread to all the measures upon the musick
For he can swim for life.
For he can creep.

Comments

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

This one is a fave of mine. Lived on my refrig for years.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

It's new to me, but I really love it.

[evelyn-b.livejournal.com]

I love this. It's always a weird good feeling to recognize animals in the past. I love it when there's a painting of people in ruffs and ridiculous triple-layer sleeves, doing some symbolic thing with knives and a crown or whatever, and over in the corner under a chair there's a dog, just being a dog. Or when cats turn up in German Expressionist flims, just walking across the screen as they've walked for milennia. Or those cats who sit placidly licking themselves in the margins of medieval books. It makes me feel like everything is all right, really, even if it isn't.

For he can sit up with gravity, which is patience upon approbation.
For he can fetch and carry, which is patience in employment.
For he can jump over a stick, which is patience upon proof positive.
For he can spraggle upon waggle at the word of command.
For he can jump from an eminence into his master’s bosom.
For he can catch the cork and toss it again.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Exactly! It's so charmingly modern.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

There is more, you know. It goes on after that.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

I do know! I just didn't want to make a post that was too long, and this is my favorite bit.