A Cat Called Penguin
Listen to Sarah reading her poem ...
because he’s wearing a tuxedo
just like a penguin does
all dressed in black and white,
because he’s a ball of mischief
a mix of curious and shy, so hissing
really loud usually avoids a fight,
because he cannot fly but excels
at jumping high, and often, especially
for fish, particularly when my back
is turned and he swipes one
from my dish...
and because both species
love tobogganing, I promise you
it’s true, but where penguins slip about
on ice, my cat he likes to slide down
the windscreen of my car
yowling ‘Tally-ho the hunt is on -
and I’ve just seen two mice!’
just like a penguin does
all dressed in black and white,
because he’s a ball of mischief
a mix of curious and shy, so hissing
really loud usually avoids a fight,
because he cannot fly but excels
at jumping high, and often, especially
for fish, particularly when my back
is turned and he swipes one
from my dish...
and because both species
love tobogganing, I promise you
it’s true, but where penguins slip about
on ice, my cat he likes to slide down
the windscreen of my car
yowling ‘Tally-ho the hunt is on -
and I’ve just seen two mice!’
This poem is copyright (©) Sarah Wallis 2024
About the Writer
Sarah Wallis
Sarah Wallis is a writer living on the East Coast of Scotland, a place where the sky meets the sea and you can see the curve of the world. A poetry chapbook Poet Seabird Island is available from Boats Against the Current, which you can hear her read from @EattheStorms podcast. Her work has appeared in Propel, Dust, Black Bough and Full Mood, as well as several of her poems flying with The Dirigible Balloon.
