Hudson'S Cat

"This night our cat ranne crying from one side of the ship to the other, looking overboord, which made us to wonder; but we saw nothing."

--Juet's Journal.

What did you see, O pussy-cat-mew, Pet of the Half-Moon's turbulent crew? Who taught them mew-tiny? Wasn't it you?

Juet kept journal of storm and fog And the mermaid that set them all agog, But what has become of the cat-a-log?

Henry Hudson, the master sage, Writ large his name on history's page, But you, you too, were a purr-sonage.

Shall the tale slight you, whose tail was a-quiver As you and Hudson sailed up the river Made only his by Time the giver?

Why did you take to adventuring, Puss-illanimous fireside thing? What was the cargo you hoped to bring?

Did you dream of multitudinous mice Running about the Isles of Spice In a paradoxical Paradise?

Were you not homesick where monsters swam, Dolorous dolphin and clamorous clam, For your sunny stoop in Amsterdam?

Months at sea, while the billows roared, And the Milky Way not a cupful poured; No wonder Tabby looked over-bored.

You had your feelin's, as felines go, Poor little puss. What scared you so? O stupid sailors that didn't know!

Was it a dogfish struck the spark From your sea-green eyes with the quaint remark That you were sailing upon a bark?

Millions of happy pussies fall Into oblivion; still you call From the top of your ancient cater-wall,

Call on the centuries to concur In praise of Tabby the Mariner, Who discovered the Catskills, named for her.