Tuesday 5 October 2010

Shadows we are and like shadows we depart...

A friend's cat died last week. His name was Shadow. He was black and sleek and would often sit like a statue of Bast and look at you as though he knew some secret he wasn't telling. He was the perfect witch's cat.

However, Shadow was not a young cat and had been ill for some time. Despite the best care - both medical and magical - he passed away.

When I was walking through Pump Court, past Temple Church in London's Middle Temple, I noticed the sundial high on a wall that bears the motto: "Shadows we are and like shadows we depart". The words stuck in my head and began to turn themselves into a poem - a eulogy for Shadow, the witch's cat:

Eulogy for a Witch’s Cat

Shadows we are
And like shadows we depart;
Humans and beasts alike;
Companions on life’s journey
Until death takes us on separate ways.
Night falls
Shadows fade to darkness;
But, in time, dawn will come
And early morning sunbeams,
Dancing like kittens ,
Will chase away the shadows of grief.
Life goes on
And memories remain.
Links:
http://www.walksoflondon.co.uk/30/temple-church-knights-tem.shtml
http://www.sundials.co.uk/~thames.htm
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2007/12/work-of-witchs-cat.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/07/scientist-proves-cats-control-humans.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/09/joanna-lumley-catwoman-on-tv.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/10/goddess-of-week-bast.html

3 comments:

queenbeebear said...

Lovely Poem, fine words, he must have been a wonderful soul to have inspired you so much.

Badwitch said...

Yes, Shadow was definitely a lovely cat.

Unknown said...

Thats a beautiful poem, really beautiful.