The Cat only grinned when it saw Alice. It looked good-natured, she thought:
still it had verylong claws and a great many teeth, so she felt that it ought to be treated with respect…

`Do you play croquet with the Queen to-day?'

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

The cat sprawls itself a welcome mat
from tail to nose and ears to paws
and sheathes its claws, a Cheshire pose,
a scrap of carpet calico, a puss Picasso
might have splashed on sisal,
or a Rorschach red-patch rug—
too plush to please the feet,
too fine the coat for boots—
a muffler meant for hugs—It greets
no matter that the mistress is a mess
made amiss by the whirl beyond windows’ untidy world.
It could have told her that!
Ah well, body language says: “Glad to have you back!”
Beasty’s love’s as binding as a bog,
and sees madam at her worst as beauteous to behold,
whether mane of a mop or mane in a bun.
Knowing wind and rain do horrid things to hair,
is it telling what’s so compelling
she underdressed and left without her hat?
The only fate worse is wet fur, where It’s at—
Must have been a rodent on the run!
It’s almost supper time…substitute a place mat.
Thanks to huntress of thine,
soon to dine on the diced-and-dried bits.

© Helga Ross 2006