Wednesday 3 October 2012

Poems I love (4)

TS Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" is full of excellent poems; and gave rise to the highly successful musical cats.

My favourite poem is Mcavity the Mystery Cat. It is Casper's too - sometimes he likes to think he is Mcavity!

That's Casper as a kitten doing his 'innocent' look!




Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Hidden Paw--
For he's the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime--Macavity's not there!
...
You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air--
But I tell you once and once again, Macavity's not there!
...
You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square--
But when a crime's discovered, then Macavity's not there!

He's outwardly respectable. (They say he cheats at cards.)
And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard's.
...
Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macacity,
There never was a Cat of such deceitfulness and suavity.
He always has an alibit, or one or two to spare:
And whatever time the deed took place--MACAVITY WASN'T THERE!