Fur Elise Poem by Kim Barney

She reigned supreme as the little queen
of our humble home for about ten years.

We had never thought
that we might want a cat,
but she showed up one day
in a shoe box on our front porch.

Just a kitten at the time,
she was an adorable little ball
of grey and white fur.

There was a pink ribbon
tied loosely around he neck
with a sign:
'Are you my mommy?
I need a home.'

It was love at first sight.

My daughter was learning to play
the piano at the time, and insisted
on naming the cat 'Fur Elise'.

The two of them became inseparable,
and though the cat would play with
the rest of us and let us pet her,
she always preferred my daughter's company.

Furry 'Elise' was the smartest cat ever.
She could jump up and grab the knob
on the front door with both paws,
twist it while pushing with one leg
against the frame, and let herself out!

She had dozens of other tricks
that I have no room to explain here.

When my daughter left for college,
I learned that cats can cry.