For Tweed - part I

I only want you to rest
no heaviness or painful hungering
no dull ache
in your chest
thousands of memories
cheerful times
and joyful
declivities
with so many in back
and so few left
to go
I call your name
and think of good times
again
you
as a kitten
small, shy
the last of your
band of brothers
to find somewhere
forever
for keeping my chair warm
the merry go round cat
who loved Loved LOVED
being spun around in chairs
until literally dizzy
then he'd jump back in and say
"lets do it again!"
the funniest habit of
swishing his paw around in the water
bowl until deciding it was
'Tweed approved"
and then drinking normally.
it won't be the same christmas without you and your
brother josquin who will
forever have a home on my tree
you have both
forever changed
the course and length of my life
for all your howling yowling
and endless meowing
you maybe never knew this
but you felt it
that you kept me from killing myself
back in 2007,
and all of 2005
when we all moved together
and put up with some really odd situations
and you were with me
through all of it
and you still loved me
even when I moved
again and
again.
you made friends with dogs!
My sisters two yappy little ones
but you soon won them over
even 'sleeping with the enemy'
when I was out of town
you could make friends with anyone
who would give you a chance
and we'd dance around the room
like two fools
listening to Squeeze sing
"Cool For Cats"
Josquin taught you to talk
but you did it your own way
and never has a cat sounded more
like a cranky old man
than you did.
you started off as "Speedy"
which I hated,
Lee named you Tweedy
as in Tweedy Bird
which I thought was lame
and so Tweed you became
a little old sounding man in a tweed coat
and the prettiest green eyes
I've yet seen on a cat
a rambunctious funny chittering cat
who was virtually never ill
until almost the end
I want nothing for you
other than the most happiness
and barring that, the least suffering.
I know its time because you are not your old self
your eyes are dimmed and I know your constant
pacing and movement indicate discomfort
I think not about how much time is left
but of how much time we've had
and in the inbetween time
When you see your old friend and brother Josquin
there is plenty of grass
to run in again
lot of toys
and the BEST snacks
So its not ever goodbye
its until we meet again
old friend.
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