Fred the Red for Elma Palad Belen and her students at Pantabangan West Central School in the Philippines The night I met Fred He climbed up on my head I was quite smitten Fred the Red my kitten A long time ago But for a long time though I was at my worst And hesitant at first But had to agree He kept me company And so that was that He was to be my cat In my studio In a cold treehouse then The old house again Fred the Red got me through What I had to do Before he had to go I was going mad Best cat I ever had And then he was gone But I know he went on Was sent and was meant Wherever he may be Wherever he went To be a part of me Though we are apart Though they said he was dead Here he is instead Becoming poetry Written in my heart My kitten Fred the Red Steven Curtis Lance   Image by Kassandra Kyle D. Escuadro, one of Elma's students at Pantabangan