Dante's Cat




The cat against the vacant screen disappears.
Black against black.
Lacking contrast it dissolves into a nether world
of Dante darkness.

Down, down it goes
drawn by irresistible powers,
too strong to fight,
into the welcoming arms
of mother earth.

Yet still it sees!
The emerald key hole
unlocks an invisible world
of mysterious things
passing human wisdom.

Cat brain and human brain collide
and in some distant place coalesce -
the same life force
just different prey -
the one free of all concern
the other steeped in guilt
sucked dry by the frozen core.

Black cat, lucky or unlucky,
just views me with contempt
or is it with desire?
Hiss or purr,
cupboard love or affection
who can tell?
To kiss with stiletto
Or embrace with sharp claws?

Whilst onward we tumble and fall
towards the inferno.
Tentative and afraid
we feel our way to hell,
level by level downwards,
never knowing where it will end
or if there is one.

Dante laughs. Virgil laughs.
All heaven laughs
at such divine, ecstatic comedy.