She sights
a Bird—she chuckles—
She
flattens—then she crawls—
She runs
without the look of feet —
Her eyes
increase to Balls—
Her Jaws
stir —twitching—hungry—
Her Teeth
can hardly stand —
She leaps,
but Robin leaped the first—
Ah, Pussy,
of the Sand,
The Hopes
so juicy ripening—
You almost
bathed your Tongue—
When Bliss
disclosed a hundred Toes—
And fled
with every one—
F350
(1862) 507
Ah, Dickinson is not one of those cat owners who
struggles to keep her cat from killing birds. Fortunately for the birds of
Amherst, the poet’s kitty isn’t quick enough—or at least isn’t quick enough for
the robin of this poem.
Anyone
who has watched a cat stalk a bird can see it recreated in this charming poem.
It’s meant to be read, and I picture it read with lots of acting and out and
gestures. I bet Dickinson entertained her young nieces and nephews with it.
The
first two stanzas describe the cat creeping up on the bird, practically
salivating in anticipation, but then being disappointed. The third stanza
changes from third person to second person as the speaker addresses the cat directly in a mock sympathetic tone. The
last two lines portray “Bliss” as being so fleet and hard to catch that it is
as if it has “a hundred Toes.” Poor kitty—its bliss fled with all hundred of
them.
Dickinson
employs a very regular structure: each stanza has two lines of iambic trimeter,
a line of iambic tetrameter, and then another of trimeter. It’s a very
recitable meter. The rhyme scheme is ABCB, which helps the verbal
enjoyment.
Thanks! I couldn’t get the “hundred toes.”
ReplyDeleteLove your blog. Reading all poems with aid of your great insights!
Thanks!
DeleteVery useful thanks for it
ReplyDeleteLove the chuckling cat
ReplyDelete