August 23, 2011

For Misses Peach


Dear Friend, We will miss you








She was an angel on earth. Now she has her wings...
 
Where to Bury A Cat

There are various places within which a cat may be buried. We are thinking now of a tabby cat, a striped cat, whose coat was like watered silk, and who, so far as we are aware, never entertained a mean or an unworthy thought. This cat is buried beneath a cherry tree, under four feet of garden loam, and at its proper season the cherry strews petals on the green lawn of his grave. Beneath a cherry tree, or an apple, or any flowering shrub of the garden, is an excellent place to bury a good cat. For beneath such trees, such shrubs, he slept in the drowsy summer, or chased bees, or lifted head to challenge some winged intruder. These are good places, in life or in death. For if the cat be well remembered, if sometimes he leaps through your dreams actual as in life, eyes kindling, questing, asking, laughing, begging, it matters not at all where that cat sleeps at long and at last. On a hill where the wind is unrebuked and the trees are roaring, or beside a stream he knew in kittenhood, or somewhere in the flatness of a pasture land, where the most exhilarating moles burrow. It is all one to the cat, and all one to you, and nothing is gained, and nothing lost -- if memory lives. But there is one best place to bury a cat. One place that is best of all. If you bury him in this spot, the secret of which you must already have guessed, he will come to you when you call -- come to you over the grim, dim frontiers of death, and down the well-remembered path, and to your side again. And though you call a dozen living cats, they shall not hiss at him, nor resent his coming, for he is yours and he belongs there. People may scoff at you, who see no lightest blade of grass bent by his footfall, who hear no mew pitched too fine for mere audition, people who may never really have had a cat. Smile at them then, for you shall know something that is hidden from them, and which is well worth the knowing. The one best place to bury a good cat is in the heart of his owner.



by Ben Hur Lampman, Portland Oregonian, 1921

15 comments:

Dma said...

i really liked that... r.i.p. miss sweet peach...

Mariodacat said...

This is a bootiful tribute to Miss Peach. Sadly I didn't know Miss Peach, but I'm sorry for your loss. It's a sad day in the blog world.

Random Felines said...

Well said.....and we are sending purrs to Miss Peach's family.

Brian's Home Blog said...

So very sad about Miss Peach.

Angel, Kirby and Max said...

It is a very sad day. Miss Peach will be missed by many

Milo and Alfie Marshall said...

So sad.

Jans Funny Farm said...

We love that photo. We found it in a 2008 post and thought it would make a lovely tribute graphic. It's always sad when a friend dies, especially as we think of what their family is going through. RIP, Miss Peach.

Admiral Hestorb said...

More tears...I cried when I read about her this morning and every day these past fewweeks. That poem is beautiful and fitting.

Gemini and Ichiro said...

We were quite sad about Miss Peach. That is a lovely tribute and thought.

3 kats and a kwiltr said...

What a lovely poem...and the mommy is crying again. :(
Thanks for sharing and if it's all right, we would like to copy it for our files. Mommy has friends that she would like to share it with.
Snuggles,
Taz, Runt and Charles in Illinois

Angel Prancer Pie said...

Beautiful tribute. Many hearts are hurting today. Purrs and pawsitive thoughts to efurryone. xoxo

Marilia said...

So sad about Miss Peach.
Lovely tribute!

The Island Cats said...

A gentler ladycat there will never be. We will miss her!

Gemel said...

She looks a sweet angel, bless her heart, sending hugs to her humans ♥

meowmeowmans said...

Such a nice tribute to Miss Peach. She will be greatly missed.