The Great Cat: Poems About Cats (Everyman's Library Pocket Poets Series)

This physically small book indeed could fit into Everyman's book on the journey to the Shining City, but the size belies the worlds held between the splendid painting of "The Great Cat" and what looks like a photograph of Alice Pleasance Liddell holding her white queen. Charming, intelligently curated, opening what may be new doors in poetry about cats, the delights of this book include (1) the well-thought through organization, (2) the generous selection of poems originally written in languages many of us may not speak such as Japanese of the 1500s and Latin of the 1100's,and (3) the uniformly high quality of these offerings as poems. No sclocky fillers here! The book presents abour 10 poems each under 14 headings: Adoration, Beauty, Mystery, the Superior Cat, Cat Antics, Dear Companion, the Amorous Cat, Sleeping/Dreaming, on the Prowl, Cat vs Dog, The Scorned Cat, Kittens/Kittens, the Old Cat, and Mourning the Cat. Others might add or subtract a section,(such perhaps as famous cats in poems, including Don Marquis' mehitabel) but for most of us, these 14 sections may adequately cover our thoughts and feelings about cats. The range of translations is glorious. From 1200 BCE comes praise to Ra from the Royal Theban tombs: "Praise be to thee, O Ra, exalted Sekhem, thou art the Great Cat, the avenger of the gods and the judge of worlds...." There are translations from those exquisite observers Rilke and Baudelaire, from the beautiful and heart-breaking 11th century Persian mystic, Hafiz, from Japanese Issa and Basho (who had compassion for the lean and aging cat as well as the lean and aging frog), from the Spanish of Neruda, and from the Chinese of that great cat-lover Chang Tuan/Wang Chih. About a third of all the poems are translations, poems not easily available in one place or perhaps so well-translated. What treasures! Among the poems written in English, editor/curator Fragos has the great good sense to leave as is whatever is reasonably accessible in the original, such as the Chaucer's "Lat take a cat," from the Maunciple's Tale, and the lovely ornate Turberville's "The Lover, Whose Mistresse Feared a Mouse" to Dickinson's "She sights a bird" to the inimitable and not quite reverent Ogden Nash's "The Cat." All of the poems are poetry, harped in the many voices of poetry from the sublime to the ridiculous---but they are, praise be, not fillers. These poems are almost all by women and men who are well-known writers, writing well about cats. I have read some books about cats where one felt the editor leaning way over, scrapping the bottom of any old barrel to fill contracted pages. Not so here! One may prefer this poem to another, but poems they all are. Any concerns? I'd wish the editor had included a page or two of references to poems for which there wasn't room that she mentions, such as Richard Brathwaite's 16th century Barnabee's Journal. And perhaps a few editorial signposts to such omitted jewels as the glorious mehitabel, she who was touours gai, or any of T.S. Elliott's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats." But these are minor, and the joys are major. Buy it, and feel perhaps a bit like Christopher Smart's cat Jeoffrey: "For he purrs, when God tells him he is a good cat."

I have loved all kinds of poetry most of my life. I have also sponsored (You really never own a cat) numerous cats over the years and still find them mysterious and unique creatures. I have read numerous cat books and poems over the years and when I saw this one (The Great Cat: Poems about cats selected and edited by Emily Fragos) at a bargain price I immediately purchased it on Amazon. This wonderful book is organized into 14 areas of poems about cats. The first group of poems is “Adoration.” The second praises the “Beauty” of cats. The third has poems on the “Mystery” of cats. The fourth explains poetically “the superior cat.” “Cat Antics” are covered in part five. Part six has poems about cats as “Dear Companion.” “The Amorous Cat” poems are in part seven. Part eight has poems on cats “Sleeping, Dreaming.” Part nine has poems about cats “On the Prowl.” “Cat vs. Dog” poems are in part ten. Part eleven has poems about “The Scorned Cat.” Part twelve explores poems about “Kittens.” Part thirteen deals with poems on “The Old Cat.” The final section has poems on “Mourning the Cat.” If you love cats and poetry you will love this collection of poems. Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Haiku Moments: How to read, write and enjoy haiku).

When I mean serious, they are very good. Not for hallmark card fans!

The feline has inspired poetic adoration since the days of the pharohs, (they were considered sacred in early Egypt) and the poems collected here cover an astounding range of periods, cultures, and styles. Oscar Wilde's 'The Sphnix,' proves that theory: "In a dim corner of my room for longer than any fancy thinks, A beautiful and silent Sphnix has watched me through the shifting gloom. In violate and immobile she does not rise, she does not stir For silver moons are naught to her and naught to her suns that reel. Dawn follows Dawn and Nights grow old and all the while the curious cat Lies crouching on the Chinese mat with eyes of satin rimmed with gold. Come forth my lovely languorous Sphinx! and put your head upon my knee! And let me stroke your throat and see your body spotted like the Lynx! And let me touch those curving claws of yellow ivory, and grasp The tail that like a monstrous Asp coils round your heavy velvet paws! That is an example of the holy cat; here's an ordinary one: A cat is not a person, you say, not a Christian -- I have seen many! Playing with mice who sat on their tails squeaking out their protest, Then let them go to die by themselves of shock without wounds other than small claw-marks, little love bites. I've had some great cats, starting with Kit Carson, on to Tosca, her daughter Ligeia, Fluffy, Comet, his daughter Star, and her mother, Little Bit. All have had different personalities and were wonderful companions. We had Tina who was a black-and-white boy cat who mysteriously disappeared, as apparently we had him confused about being called by a girl's name. Then there was Bandy who saved a litter of kittens whose mother disappeared and was killed trying to find her way home to me. Cats are faithful to their owners and look after them as much as the owners feed and care for them. And they don't bark! This little Everyman Pocket-sized book of poems should delight cat lovers everywhere with the unassailable superiority of the cat (loveable and otherwise). Emily Fragos is the editor and she explains why she chose the poems in this volume. It is a 'great' treasure.

Wonderful collection of poems to add to your library. Like all collection of poems you have a mix of poems from amusing to sadness you might want to have Kleenex nearby.

Love it!

Some of the poems, I didn't understand, but most were awesome!

Didn't start reading yet.

Cats crazy, cats lazy, Cats cuddly, cats wild, Cats haughty, cats naughty, Cats serious, cats hilarious, Cats scorned, cats mourned... They are all in this superb anthology. Many of the poems were originally written in English, but there are also translations from ancient Egyptian and Greek, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic and various modern European languages. Some poems are well-known; a lot are less familiar. The one major omission is that there is nothing from T S Eliot’s ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’: I imagine this is for copyright reasons. Every lover of the most superior animal in the world should have a copy.

she loved it

Cheaply produced.

Brilliant book full of wonderful cat poems! What more could you want! I got this for a friend at Christmas and she was really pleased with it.

A wonderful book. I received this book within two days of ordering. The book appeared brand new. I originally bought it for a friend, but have since decided to keep it for myself! I adore the 'Everyman' series of books. Thank you!!