Boris: Poems on the Give-and-Take of Love, Friendship, and Companionship With a Cat - Softcover

Rylant, Cynthia

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0152058095 ISBN 13: 9780152058098

Publisher: Clarion Books, 2006

Synopsis

Boris is a big gray cat who loves sleeping and playing and exploring and hunting. And his owner loves him for all of his simple cat ways.

But Boris, typical as he may be, is part of a much larger story in this moving exploration of love, longing, compassion, and most of all, the continuous give-and-take of companionship.

Newbery medalist Cynthia Rylant's powerful collection of poems is sure to find its place in the hearts of readers of all ages, especially those who have been lucky enough to experience the many joys and hardships that come with true friendship.

About this title

About the Author

Cynthia Rylant is a Newbery Medalist and the author of many acclaimed books for young people. She’s well known for her popular characters for early readers, including Mr. Putter & Tabby and Henry & Mudge. She lives in the Pacific Northwest. cynthiarylant.com

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

They were smart
to put a storefront
humane shelter
on the street I walked.
I was new in town.
Everybody else was used
to those cats in cages
in the windows.
They kept on walking,
trained not to glance over,
lest they lie awake
at night thinking about
that long-haired tabby
waiting
waiting
waiting.
But I hadn't been trained.
I tried not to look.
I have never been able
to go to a humane shelter.
But now
they had brought one to me.

I'd buried my last cat
two years before.
I had only dogs now.
Dogs that didn't get into
howling, spitting fights
in the middle of the night.
Dogs that didn't spray
or leave chunks of
frothy hair ball on the
carpet exactly where I
place my feet
in the morning.
I had buried my last cat.
I was a dog person now.
But they'd put a storefront
humane shelter
on the street I walked
every day.
And I was new in town.
I lasted two months.
Then I went inside,
swearing I'd get only one,
and only a girl,
and no more.
Working hard to keep
my heart together.
Cages, cages, eyes.
They can't be too sad.
Cats sleep 80 percent
of the time.
They are all right,
could be worse.
Don't look at that dog
over there.
The one storefront dog
in the cage.
You will break apart.
Not made for shelters.
Ashamed of it.
But not made for shelters.
At first I thought,
I'll choose this one,
this nervous one.
I'll choose this one,
this old battered one.
I'll choose this one,
this bright one.
Cages, cages, eyes.
And then last cage,
last cage,
there you were, Boris.
With your gray sister.
And you stood up
and stretched
and purred
and promised, promised
you would be good if
I took her, too,
because she had
kept you alive
all those days and days and days.
Three months in a cage,
Boris, with your sister,
living in the moment
with only your memories
of leaves and rooftops
and warm brown mice.
I promise, you said,
and I believed you,
and I took home
two cats-one more
than I wanted, and
a boy at that-
but you promised,
and I knew.


Copyright © 2005 by Cynthia Rylant

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Edition details

• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0152058095
• ISBN 13: 9780152058098
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 80