Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Special Treat – Anna G. Van Winkle

February 27, 2007

I am happy to announce another new writer for Storytime Tapestry. Anna G. Van Winkle becomes writer # 410. Please email her and welcome her to the fold

Jiggley Jack

The naughty cat

Funning in my hair,

A clumsy one,

He balanced

Behind me on the chair.

His paws went in

He tried to catch

A tussled curly q

And sent himself a flyin’

I laughed at him

Amused!

So Jiggly Jack

The now mad cat

Glares up from down below

With a look

That seemed to say

"How could you hurt me so?"

“Oh, I’m sorry Jiggley Jack”

 and patted on my chest

And there he’s been  plopped

For the last two hours,

Where he loves it best.

His job?

This silly cat of mine,

To tuck me in at night.

He waits to perform his duties

Until I’ve offed the light.

Then he creeps

Up on the bed

And on my pillow lies,

To guard my dreams

Til morning comes

With the deepest green of eyes.

And when the sun

Shines on the sill

His nose nosed to mine,

 I can not think

Of a sweeter start,

Than with this cat of mine.

And that’s Jack Jack

This creature cat, who

Is Wherever I go,

A familiar’s love come

Back to me,

From a long, long time ago.

Jack Jack came to me in a tupperware bowl last year with his three brothers. They were one day old, and the only one who survived the two day mark was Jack. I was so afraid he would die of fading kitten syndrome, that I stayed with him night and day until he was five weeks old.  I remember being afraid he'd give up if he wasn't continually being reminded to live.  In the mornings he'd be inside a shoulder harness on the drives to school, all day long he was with me every step of the way in a front sling baby carrier or inside the my shirt pocket, and at night I'd slip him into a white no see sock and put him right in the center of my chest.  As you might imagine I'd spend most of the night worried I would roll over and squish him, so I slept very lightly.  I will never forget the first day his eyes opened up while he'd been napping in my shirt.  He stretched back in a huge arch, quivered, put his front paw on my chin, gave me the tiniest of mewls, cranked his motor and curled right back up in a ball to resume his sleeping.  It's good work, when you can get it.  While I did not recognize him at first because he was such a worrisome kitten to raise, eventually when he got bigger and grew into his fur, his behaviors became increasingly comforting and oddly familiar. When he started 'talking' to me, hanging out in my dresser drawers, sitting on the side of  bath tub, waiting for me behind any closed door, pulling pranks, shadowing my every move, and guarding my sleep?  I got the wildest Idea that I've known him before and that recycled souls do have a way of making it back to those they love.  

Anna G. Vanwinkle

labconfidential@yahoo.com