Another poem found among my grandparent’s possessions. This one comes courtesy of an old, old volume of The Line Book. The inner cover explains that it’s “a compilation of the choicest verse and prose published the ‘Line o’ Type or Two’ column of the Chicago Tribune”. This particular volume of excerpts from Richard Henry Little’s columns was from 1935, but the books were published from 1924 to at least 1947. I expect to be posting many more treasures found from other volumes soon!
Familiar Spirit
Trouble is a yellow cat
Because that’s her nature.
Trouble’s curiosity
With no redeeming feature.
Trouble has a sharp tooth,
A quick slashing claw;
She sheathes evil daggers
In a small velvet paw
Trouble’s purely feminine –
Women are trouble –
She pries in the corners;
She digs in the rubble.
She cries after moonbeams;
She snarls and she hisses;
She purrs after spankings;
She bites when she kisses.
Why call her Trouble?
Well, she sleeps on my pillow,
She follows behind me,
She sups to her fill. Oh,
She harries and loves me
And enemies enthrall her.
Not call her Trouble?
What else could I call her?
-Nancy Shores