Why?

In November 2013 Alan Brooks drew my attention to the poem 'The Galloping Cat' by Stevie Smith. He pointed out that he saw parallels between me and the eponymous character. I have read the poem many times since and it delights me. I can see myself in the galloping cat - both the determination to do good and the sometimes ugly smugness that accompanies my attempts to do so.

In this blog I will document the public and private moments in my life as I try do some good. The story has twists and turns. I hope the act of recording them will help straighten out some of those curves so that I can remain focused on my larger goals. I also plan to draw attention to the activities of other galloping cats. Perhaps this will inspire some readers to take a few small steps of their own on the path of doing good. What is the worst that can happen? A slip on a banana peel or a bald spot.

The Galloping Cat 

Stevie Smith

Oh I am a cat that likes to

Gallop about doing good

So

One day when I was

Galloping about doing good, I saw

A figure in the path; I said

Get off! (Be-

cause

I am a cat that likes to

Gallop about doing good)

But he did not move, instead

He raised his hand as if

To land me a cuff

So I made to dodge so as to

Prevent him bringing it orf,

Un-for-tune-ately I slid

On a banana skin

Some Ass had left instead

Of putting in the bin. So

His hand caught me on the cheek

I tried

To lay his arm open from wrist to elbow

With my sharp teeth

Because I am

A cat that likes to gallop about doing good.

Would you believe it?

He wasn’t there

My teeth met nothing but air,

But a Voice said: Poor Cat,

(Meaning me) and a soft stroke

Came on me head

Since when

I have been bald.

I regard myself as

A martyr to doing good

Also I heard a swoosh

As of wings, and saw

A halo shining at the height of

Mrs Gubbins’s backyard fence,

So I thought: What’s the good

Of galloping about doing good

When angels stand in the path

And do not do as they should

Such as having an arm to be bitten off

All the same I

Intend to go on being

A cat that likes to

Gallop about doing good

So

Now with my bald head I go,

Chopping the untidy flowers down, to

and fro,

An’ scooping up the grass to show

Underneath

The cinder path of wrath

Ha ha ha ha, ho,

Angels aren’t the only ones who do

not know

What’s what and that

Galloping about doing good

Is a full time job

That needs

An experienced eye of earthly

Sharpness, worth I dare say

(if you’ll forgive a personal note)

A good deal more

Than all that skyey stuff

Of angels that make so bold as

To pity a cat like me that

Gallops about doing good.

Hear the poet reading her poem.