Goodbye Ebonyzer

2011 has been a year of heartache. Our own loss is so small – but it’s a sadness none-the-less. Here are our tributes to a loved family pet; Ebonyzer. Ebz was our September11 kitten – home from the RSPCA that day that changed the world..

Ebonyzer

It is indeed a sad day.
We returned at 7pm
after an enormous day in town
shopping shopping shopping…
to the sad sight of our Ebonyzer pussy cat –
curled to cuddle and fast asleep for life.
We buried him,
to a crescendo of sobs,
under Pussy’s Tree –
where he was lost then found
and very stuck
as a kitten, mewling plaintively –
little scamp.

Funny –
we’ve always called it
Pussy’s Tree,
yet I never saw him in it
ever again
after that.
In recent years he preferred
my new caravan –
*Frown*
with a scrabble of claws
on shiny white side
until he had purchase
to clamber up and over and onto
the pop-top roof…
E-bon-y-zer!
leaving a memoriam
of naughty cat scratches –
but no more sleeping sprawl
of black with white.

This morning Ebz was fluffed
and plump and dozy –
almost cuddly sleepy –
as we gave him one last pat…
This afternoon he was moulded
to the shape of
my hubby’s arms –
with him when he died
he then howled and hugged
our Ebonyzer into
cuddle cat.

But now Ebz sleeps
in peace
under Pussy’s Tree,
while we sob
and hiccup
and sigh
and look into the lonely distance
with tears filming our eyes.

There is no Ebonyzer pussycat
to come scampering
or twining his way into our hearts –
but he is there
anyway.

—.

KitKat wrote…

Goodbye

Stiff black body
stiff white neck
plastered in sleep position,
curled up for his
last catnap.

Silent around his prone body
I stroked under the neck –
his favourite.

Goodbye Ebonyzer…

—.

Katfish wrote…

Tears

With tears of love, and tears of grief
We bade our cat goodbye.
As we stood above his grave site
We mourned his passing by.

Ebonyzer was
a playful cat,
a black and white
and sneaky cat.
He had this thing
for kitchen chairs,
and mats and hats
and hidden lairs.
He’d often use
his snowy paws
to open up
our flyscreen doors.

As we stood above his grave site
We mourned his passing by.
With tears of love, and tears of grief
We bade our cat goodbye.

—

Photos & poetry © Kathryn Apel & Kids 2011