DetailsThe poem, its numbers, and the conversation.

Stray

Member since 2002 · Posted 25 Jul 2002 · 7 comments

There's a stray that sends a screeching, scraping yowl grinding down my spine at night as I no friend of cats (nor any other beast if truth be told) supinely ceiling-watch as sleep slip-slides away. Three weeks of this, and then a month! A new home of all-hour-interruptions like that of newborn parents but without cherubic smiles and tiny grasping doll-hands, circling my finger, rendering wakefulness worthwhile. Then one day across the gap-toothed paling fence I aired my grievance to a neighbour. He nodded, sagely, but I could tell full agreement was withheld. After a pause, he told me my tormentor had been abandoned by the couple I'd replaced. Ever since, my good neighbour had, pity-struck, fed, and tended the cat while I had moaned saving pity only for myself. The cat still yelps, scrapes, screams, but somehow its fur has grown more lustrous, and today, I surprised myself; on my way out the porch, I reached down ran my fingers through its coat, and was rewarded with a powerful, pent-up purr.

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mean 6.38 weighted 6.21 rank 970 views 198 View voting details →

16 votes so far. Yours would make 17.16 votes so far

7 comments

[8] gay 25-Jul-02/8:37 AM Reply

nice twist

[9] ShellBell7799 25-Jul-02/11:33 AM Reply

Great description...I almost felt as if I were there :-)

[8] horus8 14-Aug-02/12:51 AM Reply

bast agrees..8/10 prose are best horse radished and chewed well.

[8] Tarquin De La Bog 14-Aug-02/2:30 AM Reply

V good. 8. I am a cat man myself, but bias apart, a very worthwhile effort.

[7] Frass 15-Aug-02/4:40 PM Reply

A consciousness raising poem; thank you, Corey. At my alma mater, George Mason U., bands of feral cats wander the campus, howling like lonely, lost soul choirs every night. Students regularly throw cats out at the end of the semester.

[10] Venus 16-Aug-02/12:28 AM Reply

You are a fantastic writer, and I am a cat, so I give you a 10, if for nothing else, but that.

[10] deleted user 5-Apr-03/9:56 AM Reply

First an apology to other users of this site if I take a quick moment to try and contact an old friend....
Hi Corey. My name is Becki Caddy, and I live in Conwall in the UK. I am wondering if you are the same Corey McHattan that came to Cornwall about 10 years ago with your family. If you are not, then please ignore the rest of the email, if by some amazing coincidence you are, then please read on!!
I kept in touch with your sister Holly for quite a few years after your exchange to Mount Hawke, but our letters petered out 4/5 years ago. I was looking through some old boxes and found some of Holly's letters and wanted to get in touch. Anyway, i'll get to the point. I found in the White Pages online that your Mum and Dad still live in Coffs Harbour, and was planning on writing a letter, but being an impatient 21st century gal, I decided to try to find an email address instead. I've only found 1 mention of Holly on the net, recording her achievment on finishing Orara High School in 2001, so I'm guessing she's at college now. I did however find several mentions of your name, and I'm hoping I've found the right guy! I'd appreciate it if you could let me know if I have, and pass on my address to Holly/pass on hers to me if you can.
My email address is caddyrj@hotmail.com
Thanks for listening to my babble! Sorry to trouble you, Becki Caddy.