A Tribute to DaVinci

DaVinci

For a previous column I wrote a lighthearted poem about my Siamese DaVinci. He had disappeared for a couple of days. I wrote the poem to celebrate his return and my silliness at such distress over 'just' a cat. Here are three of the verses.

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A handsome male with no reason to roam...

I'd go off the rails if he ever left home,

With no care for the calendar or clock,

With me in my chair in solitude to rock.

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That I did spoil him there is no doubt.

It's a great toil letting him in and out.

No litter box would work for this finicky feline,

He goes in the rocks and dirt like a canine.

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He's purring so loud as he sits at my feet.

My heart beating proud, he's acting so sweet.

For three days I pined, of him no trace,

Now DaVinci is fine but I'm a basket case!

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But you see, he wasn't 'just' a cat. He was my pal through thick and thin. No judgment, no criticism, simply pleasure with my presence. He seemed to have a way of looking at me that I interpreted as..."Are you finished? Can we get on with life now?" Life..that was feeding him, letting him in or out, chasing him to brush him (it was always a game of tag), making room for him on the couch, knowing when to hold or not to hold, to pet or not to pet. You know, the basics. DaVInci was an expert on living in the moment. I worked at being a good student.

My teacher is gone.The first few hours after I found him - I knew there was a problem when he didn't come greet me - I was indeed a basket case. Maybe it was a coyote, since they are in the area, or a dog. Whatever it was must have caught him by surprise because he was a pro at tree climbing. Albert dug his grave. I will plant some daffodils on it. He loved to spy at me from the bunches of green stems as though he were invisible.

I am getting on with it now, celebrating the bond we had, the love we shared, and the lessons learned. Glad our paths crossed, DaVinci.