Willie Justified

A poetic view of Seattle's University Way, Feb., 24, 2025

Scene of lots of poetry!

          A man, nay, a gentleman cat, alone with his words, confronts his own heart with the crafting of elusive meanings. He doesn’t really expect understanding, or appropriate appreciation, which is probably a wise move on his part.

           His is a severe exigency. To speak, but not to pen, is his agony.
“Doggone it! Even had I thumbs, as such, I remain illiterate!" mourned Willie.
            “They will never understand me,” he whispered. He gazes, lonely, into a shiny pan lid. It’s not a gazing glass, but it is shiny! “But that doesn’t stop them from quoting or mocking me!”
            “Nor does it stop me from my posies!”
            He began to notice a gradually clearing image in his pan lid’s mirrored surface.
            “Those who lack understanding, will never understand,” a haunting voice said.
            Though there was some distortion caused by the curvature of the lid, Willie began to discern a beautiful, unfamiliar face. Glowing green eyes, deep in the reflection, blinked languorously at him.
            “Why have I not met you before, oh Beauty? What is your name?” sighed Willie.
            He forgot about poetry for a minute.
            “My gentleman named me Sammie,” said the compelling voice, so sweet, so tender.
            “Oh, of course, I have heard your name! I notice that you took no part in the Literary Funeral Suzy and Toots held in my honor, and in my absence,” said Willie. “They act like I can’t hear them. But of course I can hear them! I’m plugged into the same darn CatComm™ that they are, for Heaven’s sake!”
            “Oh, Willie, I abstained for reasons of my own! Also, I, hearing the bit of poem quoted last night, was instantly smitten by its essential wisdom and grace! I believe you to be a fine poet, and that you will only become finer and better as you conceive and propound more and more poetry!” Sammie said passionately.
            Well, that was music to Willie’s pointy little ears!
            “Hey, Sammie, when I bust out of here, do you want to come too?” said Willie.
            “I think so, but we have to work out the physics, don’t we?” asked Sammie.
            “I’ll figure something out, Beauteous One,” said Willie. “When the time comes!”
            “I believe you will,” said Sammie, with complete conviction.
            There followed some Purring™ and fond farewells.
           
            Perhaps there is a lesson here? How shall we say it goes?
            “Friendly critics are the smartest, and you’d do well to attend to them?”
            Yes. Wise advice!