on the 5th, we bought red mums
on the 9th, we had to put our cat down
on the 9th, at some pier
wind gusting
hair in my face
i wrote this
and hoped the wind
would take away some of the pain:
supposably
in some cultures
red chrysanthemums symbolize grief and honesty
in others
they can represent deep love and passion
which means
they can mark the beginning and the end
i didn't know that then
and i didn't much care
because despite whatever they mean
in whatever country
here
they mean you're not ignoring me
or tripping me
or giving me side-eye
or reaching for me
or meowing at me
or laying next to me
purring contently
---i would take all the bad with the good
because you would still be here
but instead
if i want to have you
reaching for me
meowing
laying next to me
i have to go where the red mums might one day
start flourishing
and sit
and pretend
***
yeah
this all seems much for a cat
but your fragrance (and grief)
demand i be honest
and now before the gray clouds
let lose their tears
let me water you
with mine
About the Creator
Alexandria Stanwyck
My inner child screams joyfully as I fall back in love with writing.
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'20/20'
"Do It Again" the track that would ultimately open the Beach Boys final album on Capitol Records which was released on February 10th 1969 had originally been released as a single in August of 1968. The track was the first of many post-Pet Sounds era throwbacks to the early Beach Boys sound which would become continually more cliched and eventually lead the Beach Boys to the level of self-parody they would eventually succumb to in the 1980s while their closest contemporaries The Beatles nearing the end of their run in 1969 would go on to be viewed as the most influential band of all time. However, the song itself is not bad on its surface, and it opens with a futuristic sounding (for 1969) drumbeat captured by then-Beach Boys engineer Stephen Desper using tape delays on the drums performed by Dennis Wilson and John Guerin. The song has been re-recorded numerous times over the years on various Beach Boys-related projects most notably the 2011 re-recording at Capitol studios featuring the five surviving Beach Boys at the time backed instrumentally by various members of both the Brian Wilson Band and Mike Loves touring "Beach Boys" to promote the then upcoming Beach Boys 50th Anniversary reunion tour in 2012. The hammering and power drill sound at the end of the song was an excerpt from a track called "Workshop" that was to be a part of the uncompleted "SMiLE" album.
By Sean Callaghan6 days ago in Beat
Comments (3)
It's not "a bit much for a cat." My Tiggy was with me for 19 years. He was my familiar, best friend, and protector. And when he left, he taught the other cats to do his job. Each of them do something that Tiggy used to do for me now. And when he got older and couldn't walk with me as much, he'd lay on the pillows of my infant children, keeping them safe and comforted for me. I still grieve my Annabelle, my labby. She passed away almost 11 years ago. And my Latte. Animals love so unselfishly. When your best friend of so many years gets the wings that you know they were supposed to be born with, its hard to deal with it. Don't worry. Just as they waited for you to get home from work every day. They'll be waiting to walk with you to the afterlife when its your turn. The loyalty and love will never die. I know this in my soul. And you grieve as hard as you need to know. I was in bed for almost a week when Tiggy left me. I was crippled. But I also know he and the others will be the first to greet and comfort me when Its my time.
I love your list of things you'll miss about your cat: ignoring, tripping, side-eye, reaching, meowing, etc. That sort of sums up cats and everything we love about them. Although, I will forever miss my sister's cat waiting until I fell asleep and then pouncing on my feet. Terrible way to wake up. I'm sorry for your pain. It may seem much for a cat, but grief is grief and loss is loss. While we all feel similar emotions, each time is unique and pivotal in shaping us.
I shared in your grief reading this poem </3 I lost my 13 year old cat I'd had since age 14 almost two years ago, and I don't think I'll ever forget how all-consuming the grief I felt for her passing was