The Karma of Cats

The judgment of cats is at hand:
how neatly God has arraigned them!

You there, my silken mistress,
how many dead birds must we put
to your credit?  And you, the rangy tomcat
with cauliflower ears and a nose
that's seen better days,
whatever became of those goldfish when
your people were gone for a week?
Oh, how the cries of field mice,
slaughtered in thousands, rise up against you!
Where will you turn?
Where will you turn?  Even now
the furnace of wrath glows hot
for vengeance against your sins.

But Lord, they cry, purring and mewing,
Lord!  with plaintive uplifted faces,
we did not know, we could not help it!
It was our nature to kill soft things,
shining things, whatever would move,
whatever ran from before us!

Well, says the Lord, you may plead
and pray, and say with some justice
that you could not help it, that it was your nature,
but the surprise is, my children,
you're no less accountable
for that!

[Gail White]