My family is insane, as this will prove. I truly do come by it honest. The first poem is by my Grandmother, Bobbie-Jo Harris. The second is by my aunt Jo, the third my aunt Nancy, the 4th by Marna (my first cousin once removed), the 5th by Kathy Kelley (another 1st cousin once removed), and the last was once again my aunt Jo.

Millie died and was put into the freezer for months until the ground thawed enough to bury her. Nancy's cat Missy died and lay on the floor for hours until she came home from work and found her stiff on the floor. Marna's cat was lost between walls when her house was redone and they thought she'd run off until their noses detected a foul smell.

The babe of whom they speak is my son, Eric Michael.

Let the insanity begin!

-Lyd




Sent to me by my Grandmother

Subject: Fwd: millie


I just found this from 2006 and have to laugh. And send it off.

Incidentally, we have just buried Taegel, our white cat, who died a couple of months ago and has been in a ziplock bag in an unused (except for him) freezer. Odd? Not a bit. We were inundated with rain and couldn't slosh into the pet cemetery. The funeral was lovely but Eric wanted to know if we should be having funeral games. He provided the flowers, too.





-----Inline Message Follows-----



Millie's in the freezer
With the lima beans and peas.
I know it wouldn't please her but
It's hard upon my knees

To dig a little grave in
The solid frozen ground,
So quietly she rests and she
Doesn't make a sound.

I miss our Millie terribly
And humbly beg her pardon.
When spring arrives, we'll plant her
In a lovely Millie garden.

Love from Grandma B


__________________________________________


Jo's rebuttal



You, my dear, have lost your mind,

I'm sure you'd like to differ.

I know my cat is in the deep

For I can always whiff her.



I'll plant her when we have the time.

Maybe even soon.

Perhaps we'll do it in the dark

Or by a nice full moon.



When we do we'll let you know.

We won't leave you all out.

The baby needs to get a feel

For what we're all about!




____________________________________________




How strange that when the kitties die

From sickness or being old,

My family has to wrap them up

And put them in the cold.



You see, when my kitty died

About five years ago,

My husband left her on the floor

At least eight hours or so.



When I came home, there she lay

Looking so cute, but pale.

I went to touch her and I found

She was hard as a nail.



He'd walked around her all day long

Thinking she had to sleep.

Didn't wonder when opening cans,

She didn't make a peep.



And so, as far as kitties go

I'd say, "To each his own."

A dead cat is stiff, whether frozen or not

And no matter in whose home!





-With love,

Nancy

___________________________________________________

From Marna





The Education of Eric Michael



Perhaps the babe should visit each

To learn of these traditions

Of freezing, drying, hanging cats~ to teach

Our own renditions



You like yours froze with beans and such

Nan keeps them hard and dried and tough

I've had mine stuck between two walls

Aromas drifting down the halls



It lends a quite distinctive air

To those who come to visit there....

.I don't know why they run away

Perhaps their cats aren't on display?



Folks are odd, but you and me,

It seems that, well, we just agree

We keep our cats on floors or fridge

Stiff & hard, or froze a smidge

We like our cats, & more's the pity

If some folks will not keep their kitty!



So teach our Eric Michael well

From every view and angle

To love our kitties as ourselves

No matter where they dangle


_________________________________________


From Kathy





I have the strangest relatives,

they come from parts little known.

They take pics of children standing on graves

into 8x11's they are full blown



Pets are revered and God is dead

who knows what's in their head?

But if I died before i wake

they'd save my little head.



Into the freezer i would go,

with cats and hamsters I know,

they say they will bury us at thaw

but the pets will be first to go.



then comes the garden

all tended with care

next the flowers and grass to mow,

and finally with great aplumb

Kathy Kelley they'd finally sow!

_________________________________________

Jo again



You people are all lunatics

I’m sure you’ve guessed by now.

I’m going to bury my kitty

I’m glad it’s not a COW!



Who spawned these crazy people

Who write about dead pets?

I think we need to get a life

Before we have regrets.



We have eight cats between us,

My parents and I do.

I hope they don’t die all at once,

For that is quite a slew.



Our cemetery is quite large,

And seems to be increasing.

With animals from far and nearWho seem to be deceasing.


_____________________________________________________________

I shared this last fall with one of my favorite people in all the world, who has recently decided to join AP, and he wrote his own addition to the series, which he entitled "Kitty in The Icebox"

This is the link to his addition: http://allpoetry.com/poem/6632323

(I suggest you check out his other works too cause he's too awesome to ignore. His page says that when he's not writing he's being awesome...I disagree cause he's awesome all the time. Tell me what you think! )