Rusty the Extraordinary, Fantastic and Incredible Cat

When the kids were young and got home from school, they would ask what Rusty did that day. I would always make up something to amuse the. Years later I decided to write it down and this is it.

Rusty the Extraordinary,
Fantastic and Incredible Cat

Written by: T. L. O’Neal

 

Rusty was a funny old cat,

Fat as he could be

The fat would push out the sides when he sat,

Better him than me

 

When he would run,

It would swing from side to side

It all moved with such action,

And everything was jiggling inside

 

When the kids get home

They would say…

“Daddy what did Rusty do today?”

I would think on it awhile and then….

 

I would say in a sheepish way,

Oh, he did many great and wondrous things today

For what can a cat do anyways?

He really did, believe me when I say…

 

He is a Extraordinary, Fantastic

And Incredible Cat he is…

And he can do many tricks,

When it comes down to it, he’s just a wiz

 

He sat in a chair and read a book,

Then he decided to go to the kitchen and to cook

 

He likes to eat his grits,

While he knits

 

He helps daddy to spell,

Although for a cat he does smell

 

He wears a sweater and eyeglasses too,

He’d sits around like a cow, saying moo

 

Now it’s 12:42,

And he’s fixing daddy’s shoe

 

He can do this and so much more,

He doesn’t want to be a bore

 

But he does it all in private when you’re away,

Because if you knew it, what would you say

“Cats can’t do these things anyways,

They just lay around”

 

But he can also sing too,

He sings opera, country, and jazz,

And he does it all with pizzazz

 

He goes fishing with a pole,

Trying to catch supper with Mr. Mole

Mr. Mole is a good friend of his,

He digs up the worms like a pig

 

He watched TV with the remote control,

And it goes click-idy click,

And he jumps all around on a pogo stick

 

This was remarkable in itself

Considering that he has never done it before,

But he always liked to explore

 

He has traveled on a moor

Wondering what it was for

 

He went to Spain

Just to dance in the rain

 

He took a trip in a train

Riding across the floodplain

Just to look at a crane

 

He crossed the ocean deep

The whole time he was asleep

 

He went all the way to Japan

To play the game Pacman

 

He’s walked through swamps knee-deep

Other times he drove his jeep

 

He took a trip in a jet

All the way to France to play croquette

 

For a cat he’s pretty strong,

He does carpentry work…

Although he does it all wrong

 

He did this all in a day,

While at school you were away

 

I know when you’re here he just sleeps away,

And stays in bed all the livelong day,

But that’s just his way

 

He’s a private cat is what I’d say,

We’ll just wait for another day,

To try to catch him if you may

 

Reviews

[L.P. Hawkins]

"He watched TV with the remote control,
And it goes click-idy click,
And he jumps all around on a pogo stick"

Great poem you have here! It is something I hope will be a hand-me-down from generation to generation for your family. But I also hope that this can be read by all others. Really man, your stuff has been amazing me for some time. I think you honed your skill to it's sharpest--time for publication!

[Donna Jones]

Rusty sounded like one very interesting kitty!!! Your words and humor gave me great joy just reading it and kept a smile on my face... I bet your children loved it.

[Nicholas Hallows]

This belongs in TS Eliot's book of practical cats! Looking forward to more of his adventures! NH

[Christina2]

What a fantastic cat! haha love this. This would make a fantastic children's book, the illustrations would be wonderful and colorful and magical. (where does one find a cat like this? smile) Thanks for the read, brightened my dreary winter morning, I shall be thinking about this adventurous cat all day now :)

[None]

I have to agree with Blackbird Song here, you really should consider making a childrens book set with Rusty. If you don't have time, Rusty can do it! haha. A most, very enjoyable poem and so feather light and funny. Loving it!

[Joyce Bocek]

Terry, this was a fun read. My Cleo wants to hang out with Rusty, I'd say...they'd have a blast.
*Smile* This is much different than most of your writing and I like your style in this genre as well as your true-to-life stories.

[IMOGEAN]

This is a really cute poem. It made me smile.

Thank you, because I needed to smile.

Norma

[Blackbirdsong]

Okay so you're clearly a gifted artist, have you ever thought about illustrating this and publishing it as a children's book? This is a great poem that I'm pretty sure all children would love and it's written in such a way that it could either be read to them or they could read it themselves.

You should really think about doing that.

take care :)

[Gordon Greene]

It's no wonder the dang cat lays around... if I was that busy, I'd need my rest too!
This is good stuff. How creative can you get with a poem about a cat?
(Guess you just answered that question).
g.g.

[Chantal-lise Mirman]

I think it is obvious by his very demeanor that Rusty had to be the inspiration for the game, Marco... Polo! That he has allowed you to be the transcriber of his adventures speaks highly of your character, and I am sure he would like to see them published (as many others have suggsted).

The loose lyrical narrative feel of the initial stanzas segue nicely into the rhyming couplet laundry list of Rusty's talents... there is something there to engage every reader! I, for example, AM French, and I DO like croquet (which, to a cat, could only be seen as croquette, being so much more delicious)!

And the resolution to an insisten AA AAA AAA rhyme cements the fantasy by insisting the reader sspend his disbelief and join in the mantra.

LOVE it!

[Ashly Christen]

haha this is so cute and creative
i love kitties
as i can see do you
♥