Balcony Cat [15 Words or Less]

Hello, and welcome! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here. 

Cat on ledge
Photo: Laura P. Salas

While walking Jack one evening, my husband and I saw this fearless kitty marching along a balcony outside the railing. This image makes me think of several things:

  1. Cat burglar (of course!)
  2. Wouldn’t it be nice to have 9 lives?
  3. A zoo where the animals look at the people inside cages

And here’s my first draft.

At the People Zoo, a 15 Words or Less poem by Laura Purdie Salas

 

It’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS! (Title doesn’t count toward word count.)

 

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34 Responses

  1. Laura, I love your idea of the people zoo! I’m so happy to be back and participating today! Happy summer everyone!

    Advice to an Intrepid Cat

    Pit-a-pat
    Little cat
    Step lightly now
    Or go ker-splat!

    1. Welcome back, Molly! It’s good to be back for me, too, as I’ve been mostly away from my blog and people the past couple months! Great advice for a cat. I was a little worried about it going ker-splat in front of us!

    1. Ferocious and elegant seems a juxtaposition. I like how you used feline for your acrostic. Great last line.

  2. This summer I have been working on my yoga skills.

    Cat to cow
    then downward dog,
    my body-mind control–
    tip-toeing the rail
    of balance.

    1. Cat to cow.….perhaps I will learn what this means when I finally DO take up yoga. Tip-toeing.…we all do that through some days. hmmmmm

    2. Cats to cows.… ha …when you think of those two animals yoga doesn’t come to mind immediately until you think of the cat stretches and relaxation and the cow’s meditation and slow strolling. Now for the duck move! Let it all roll off your back!

  3. Ah, yes, my cat loves to do this in our open staircase. It used to bother me, but now I just don’t watch! He has wild cat games to play!

    On Mt. Balcony

    Catamount
    Is who I be;
    Don’t fear for me,
    It’s what I do.
    Fear for you!

  4. Good morning. We have recently had some terrible “animal cruelty” events in our area. The perps should be caged and have animals looking at them.

    Kitties and Kiddies

    I’m a stray
    need a home
    plastic pools
    synonym for bath
    I’ll continue to roam.

    1. Oh no :>( How can people do horrible things to animals? I just don’t understand it… I love how you picked up on the little pools on the deck and the kitty saying, “Nope!”

    2. Oh, poor babies. I wish I could handle taking in more. My son .… has many issues but is an absolute genius with animals. I’d love to see him work at a shelter as soon as he is old enough.

  5. wasent shor what to wright I though of Alphabet soop poem By Jessica Bigi

    Alphabet noodle cats
    mouth so high
    ground far below
    my boll do noddle
    cats get dizzy

  6. Loved you People Zoo, Laura. While this cat is probably enjoying a prowl, I took a different tact.

    I wonder why
    you tossed me out,
    left to meow and beg,
    pace and pout.

  7. Love the way you switched the typical zoo perspective, Laura!

    Turning from the well-trod path
    she wobbles along ledges
    regains her footing
    rebalances her dreams

  8. This made me think of prison bars and how often my cats would try to escape to the outdoors.

    Cattery Escape

    Slink down the catwalk
    Give the guards the slip
    Quietly catapult to freedom

    1. Oooh, the verbs (and wordplay) are delicious! I especially love that quiet catapult!

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