This tale features an ordinary cat who captures and eats a poetry-composing mouse. Upon awakening from his next nap, the cat discovers to his annoyance that he has now become a poet, and nothing in his world looks the same. He sees pictures in his head and the world has become a mixture of real and dreams. He consults the local witch for help. When she hears him speak in poems, she declares it is too late. "The poetry has got in to your blood and you're stuck with it for the rest of your life," she says. The cat is discouraged

But shortly thereafter, the dog Max chases him up a tree. The cat wants to hiss and spit at him, but out of his mouth comes a poem instead. He figuratively refers to the dog firing his cannon (barking) with his white soldiers on parade (teeth!). The dog is quite enamored with this poetic and colorful portrayal of himself and offers to leave the cat in piece if he can only come and hear his poem sometimes. The cat is amazed that the dog found the poem complementary (he meant it to insult!) and realizes, "Poetry is tricky stuff and can be taken two ways!" Perhaps being a poetic cat isn't so bad after all!

Key Concepts to explore:

Imagination helps solve problems in unexpected ways.

Imaginative acts can help people relate to the real world in new ways.

Talk about whether or not the author of this story intended to inform, persuade or entertain us. (mostly entertain with a little information about the purpose of poetry). Does your child have any favorite poems, such as those by Shel Silverstein that provide interesting perspectives and humor?

Vocabulary:

poet

nibbling alarm (sudden fear or sense of danger)
temperature commanded (ordered) burglars (people who steal)
Spelling:

Various ways to spell the long e sound:

Try: neat, deal.clean, please, beast, easy, keep, street, seen, creek

Story questions:

1. When the cat wakes up after eating the mouse, what does he see in his head? (colored lights, pictures, things that are alike and different)

2. What would the cat rather do than be a poet? (catch mice and sleep in the catnip)

3. What affect does the cat's poem have on the dog, Max? (delights him so much that he lets the cat go)

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