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Sunday, April 19, 2015

Smiling Alone

 
Sleeping Cat
—Painting by Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831-1889)



THE CATS WILL KNOW
—Cesare Pavese (1908-1950)

Again the rain will fall

on the sweet pavements,

a light rain
like a breath or a footstep.

Again the breeze and the dawn

will blossom lightly

beneath your footstep

as you reenter.

Among flowers and sills

the cats will know it.



There will be other days.

There will be other voices.

You will smile alone.

The cats will know it.

You will hear antique words,

tired and empty words

like the disused costumes

from yesterday's festivals.



You too will make gestures.

You will respond with words—

face of Spring,

you too will make gestures.



The cats will know it,

face of Spring;

and the light rain,
the hyacinth-color dawn,

that tears the heart of one

who no longer longs for you,

they are the sad smile

you smile alone.

There will be other days,

other voices and awakenings.

We will suffer at dawn,

face of Spring.

_____________________

—Medusa, noting that more cat poems may be found at www.poemhunter.com/poems/cat