A Cat

Edward Thomas 1878 (London Borough of Lambeth) – 1917 (Pas-de-Calais)



She had a name among the children;
But no one loved though someone owned
Her, locked her out of doors at bedtime
And had her kittens duly drowned.

In Spring, nevertheless, this cat
Ate blackbirds, thrushes, nightingales,
And birds of bright voice and plume and flight,
As well as scraps from neighbours’ pails.

I loathed and hated her for this;
One speckle on a thrush’s breast
Was worth a million such; and yet
She lived long, till God gave her rest.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 27, 2023

24 sec read
484

Quick analysis:

Scheme XXXX XAXA ABXB
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 452
Words 83
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4

Edward Thomas

Philip Edward Thomas was an Anglo-Welsh poet and essayist. more…

All Edward Thomas poems | Edward Thomas Books

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