An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 10/10
Fandom: Original Work, Poetry & Literature - General
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Additional Tags: Poetry, Podfic & Podficced Works, Podfic Length: 0-10 Minutes, Audio Format: MP3, Audio Format: Streaming
Summary:
Poems and prose-poems. I make no promises as to profundity.
So, for context, I sometimes warm up for podficcing with poetry and this is where that goes. (You cannot imagine the temptation to do over the early entries now that I’ve got better technique, but I keep it as a reminder of progress.)
Anyway, a while back I was doing a long podfic with a lot of cats in, so my warm-ups had a lot of cats, hence the prevailing theme of this chapter.
Tumblr’s mad for cats, so:
46. The Emperor and His Cat (Emperor Uda 9th C AD)
On the 6th Day of the 2nd Month of the First Year of the Kampo Era. Taking a moment of my free time, I wish to express my joy of the cat. It arrived by boat as a gift to the late Emperor, received from the hands of Minamoto no Kowashi.
The colour of the fur is peerless. None could find the words to describe it, although one said it was reminiscent of the deepest ink. It has an air about it, similar to Kanno. Its length is five sun and its height is six sun. I affixed a bow about its neck, but it did not remain for long…
47. From the Point of View of a Cat (Karel Čapek, transl. Dora Round)
This is my Man. I am not afraid of him. He is very strong for he eats a great deal; he is an Eater of All Things. What are you eating? Give me some!
He is not beautiful for he has no fur. Not having enough saliva, he has to wash himself with water. He meows in a harsh voice and a great deal more than necessary. Sometimes in his sleep he purrs
48. For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry, abridged (Christopher Smart)
For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.
For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.
For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness.
For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer…
(and a wild goose, because everyone loves a wild goose...)
50. Wild Geese (Mary Oliver)
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
