Leaflets From My Life - Breakfast With Grandpa And His Cats Poem by Geeta Radhakrishna Menon

Leaflets From My Life - Breakfast With Grandpa And His Cats

Rating: 5.0


Unforgettable is the memory of my Grandpa,
Sitting at the dining table, so calm,
Enjoying his sumptuous breakfast of
Steamed ‘idlis'- rice cakes, with
With tasty coconut grounded 'chutney',
A thick sauce of green chillies, curry leaves,
And a dash of mustard seeds garnished,
Relishing his home cooked food, thoroughly amused,
Surrounded by over twenty cats and kittens!

Never in my whole life, have I seen anyone,
Except my Grandpa! Breaking his morning fast
With a bevy of loquacious cats!
The cats sit together on a semi-circular mat
Their chin up, bold and feisty,
Their pearly eyes staring eagerly,
Their voice loud and demanding,
Mewing together like a chorus of Sopranos!

Cats of varied hues, black, white and brown,
Mixed colours of different combinations,
Looking up to grandfather with much admiration,
Waiting for a piece of ‘idli' to be thrown in jubilation!
Mother Brownie waits patiently with a bored expression,
While the black furry cat scrambles near Grandpa's feet,
The white kittens with their paws raised up ready for a scuffle.
The rest with their eyes closed -May the Lord be praised!

When I race in to join Grandpa at the breakfast table,
My eyes would pop up and blink,
So many cats mewing simultaneously at a high pitch,
Sitting around him as if they were listening to a fable!
Grandpa ever patient and compassionate,
Looking at them with a kindly glance,
Nodding and smiling at the cute kittens,
Feeding them with milk and tasty rice cakes!

For an impatient teenager like me,
The loud chorus of mewing cats,
Not a pleasing symphony,
But an unbearable melancholy,
Beating a retreat in my ear drums,
Gulping down my glass of milk in a zippy,
Hurrying out of the room in a frenzy;
While the cats pause to wonder, at my plight crazy!

Leaflets From My Life - Breakfast With Grandpa And His Cats
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Topic(s) of this poem: cats,family,farm,grandfather,life
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
A memory of my teenage years when i lived with my Grandparents in Kerala. The picture that i have shared on this page are not the cats with my grandfather. It is picture similar to the cats except that they were not all white, there were brown, grey and mixed coloured cats too. ts too
COMMENTS OF THE POEM

Wondering dinning with many cat's around your grandpa, Nice to read, really enjoyed, full vote.thanks.

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Yes, Ram! This scene of my Grandpa with several cats is a memory that remains clearly etched in my mind. My grandfather loved all beings equally, be it a human or an animal. i remember too, your poem on cats. So happy that you enjoyed this poem.Thanks!

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Varsha M 03 August 2021

Ma'am you had a wonderful time with your compationate grandpa full of love and care. Such good values in your childhood made you a nature love today if im not wrong. Your poem is full of warmth snd beauty of family life as well as love for animals.

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Rajnish Manga 18 September 2018

Simply a masterpiece. Can't express the joy of reading this poem. Cats sitting in front of your grandpa on a semi-circular mat doing all kinds of amusing things, described in graphic details, is a real treat to all animal lovers and to all readers of this poem. Thank you, Geeta ji. This is immaculate. Surrounded by over twenty cats and kittens! Their voice loud and demanding, Mewing together like a chorus of Sopranos!

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Glen Kappy 24 January 2018

Twenty! Yikes! Often just the one cat at a time in our home has tried my patience. We had one cat who was loquacious—she usually sounded like she was complaining. She was ailing in her last days and, as with our other cats when they’ve been sick, I couldn’t help feeling compassion for her. She is the focus of my poems Remembering Sox and Like Her Regal Cousins. -Glen

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Tom Allport 14 November 2017

a wonderful descriptive poem of a time with your grandpa and his cats........................well written Geeta.

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Valsa George 19 May 2017

It would definitely be an exciting experience to be with your grand father, but I am sure you must have been rather annoyed and amused at the same time seeing a dozen cats surrounding him around his break fast table. Some people are so fond of cats.....! I too love cats, but will never think of keeping too many! I can visualize the whole scene! Interesting read!

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