Sleeps With Kings

As I lay here...
sunk, in sofa, and in
regrets,
half-asleep in
the belly of
my home...
one eye opened,
my mind, it roams,
as does Beaumont,
marmalade, regal, thick as
king on queen's shoulders,
he creeps from the shadows
towards me
like
ten gods abreast.

This beast
this libertine
with eyes that
could knock your f*****g teeth out
if only
they had fists,
hops onto the couch
to nestle in half-sleeping arms,
nudges his face deep
into cheek
to let me know
he's come to sleep amongst
broken dreams and
belly-aching nightmares.

Cats are not like dogs.
Cats are, truly, noble.
They are not dumb,
they are not there to please
hands that feed.
Cats are like specters,
reincarnated kings,
assassinated by
ambitious lovers seeking
thrones for favorite sons.
They are not like dogs...

and this one,
Beaumont the Great,
chooses
me.

Hundreds of nights,
he could sleep
alone...
I wish that I could,
Nigel, Beaumont, one of the others
(and there are others) harass me with their
affections...
and as I lapse from
half-sleep to
full-wake,
he: king-like,
leaps off of the sofa
from between my arms
and walks off,
confident, and back into the
dark parts of my home from
which he
came,
causing me to
write
this
poem.

Reviews

[Nik Dendera]

"half-asleep in
the belly of
my home..."

I really liked that line. You've mixed the symbolism of the regal cat well with the love and affection he gives. The wonderful visuals of the cat sleeping and then walking away are graceful, like the cat himself.

A very beautiful poem, certainly a favourite already!

[a]

but there's one thing that worried me - are you placing your self between "the kings", because if the cat is a king and it sleeps with you, it makes you a king. or - you sleep with the cat - therefor - with a king that stands above the average man's best fried? OR - he isn't ment to be "a king", bunt comes from the regal suites of ancient kings and rulers of far beyond lands and implies hi's extraordinary "royalty of the kings" within you, or, possibly, all the way around. ;)

[a]

peom-metaphore. great work.
cats are the most mystical animals that humans have managed to domesticate (no matter how sinfully unlogical it seems). Cats keep thei secrets and always balance between their light and dark sides (i'd say that there are plenty more than only two "halfs" - the Yin and Yang within each one of us as well [there are, i think, thousands of them =), somehow cats know when to attract and absorb our emotional energy, as well, when to give some to us from their secret vortexes.
the poem crealry conjures a picture and a perfect setting for the subconscious imagery and reflection of inner self.
the third stanza is unnecessary, or you should periphrase it, because it simply falls out of the whole poem, it seems to be detached, but, of course, that could have been your goal.
You have reached all your gaols with this poem - a coach to "bedtime" of fulfilment.

[Katrina]

this reminds me a lot of how bukowski would always write about his cats. plus you're naturally fantastic so added bonus. i always love these little random poetry pieces where something just triggers a spark of inspiration, they're always so neat. like a window into the soul or somethinnng.

the second stanza is my favorite. i especially enjoy the use of the word 'libertine.' i guess i just enjoy that word and never really noticed before. and when you talk about the cat nestling and nudging it's just pretty visual. i mean, everyone knows how cats are. and if they don't then they're living under a rock and you wouldn't like them anyway.

xxx

[Rachel DeHart]

I love the movement in this poem, how as the reader I travel from symbolism to reality.
You've crafted something spectacular here.
It's definitely one of my favorites from you thus far.
:]