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Community News Important Update: Transition from pathetic.org to eMuse.org - 03/16/2025 by Gavin M Roy After years of intermittent development, eMuse is almost ready to launch. As part of this transition, pathetic.org will be shutdown and will redirect to eMuse.org. What you need to know: * No accounts will be automatically created * No content will be automatically transferred * When creating your new eMuse account, you'll have the option to import your data from pathetic.org We look forward to welcoming you to the new platform. Hello, Survivors of 2020! - 01/03/2021 by V. Blake Please check my post out in the General forum when you have a moment. Thanks! Stay Healthy - 03/18/2020 by V. Blake Hope you and yours are well. A Congratulations to Leonard M Hawkes - 03/27/2019 by V. Blake ..who just published his first volume of poetry! Entitled Leaves from my Box Elder, it comes just in time for the 150th anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike. So, like the title says--congrats, Leonard! Older News

Poem of the Day for 07/16/26 A Cat's Tale by Kristina Woodhill “Once upon a time, there was a shade tree”, And under the shade tree I sat, Idly eating mulberries And chatting with my neighbor'’s cat. Peshak was a grungy old feline, Mangy and infested with fleas I was careful never to touch him, For fear of catching disease. I lied when I said we were chatting, It was Peshak who was speaking to me, His tail had a string, a curious thing – Tied loosely, but trailing toward me. I looked at the string with a question; He stood slowly and stretched with a smile, “Take hold of my string, you two-legged thing We'’re going to walk for awhile!” They say that a cat is most curious, But that day, I will tell you no lie, I reached for that string, now questioning The Where, and the What, and the Why. Did he know what I felt for a people Who were hurting but still full of pride? Was he playing a game, to put me to shame Would he string me along for a ride? As Peshak led me slowly through rubble Of where I had once known so well, A mist started swirling, at our feet began curling, And I felt us start climbing a hill. The swirling mist there soon enclosed us – The cat'’s voice came hard and came fast, “Let loose of the string, oh, two-legged thing, And you will be lost in the Past.” I clung to the string on the tail of that cat, On that you can rest most assured, For what I heard next put my mind to the test, And I trembled and said not a word. To my ears came the sounds and the voices Of past tribes, their conflicts and wars, I heard joyful births, songs and riddles and mirth, Mullahs calling for prayers from their towers. The voices of Pashtuns and Tajiks, Blending softly with Kafirs from far north, Round-faced Hazaras, and sounds of bazaars, Women haggling over some spice'’s worth. Still higher we climbed on our journey; Then sounds of war'’s rumblings began. I shrank in our shroud from explosions so loud – The hilly ground shook as I ran. Still holding fast to the string with the cat, I cursed as I stumbled and fell, I reached for that cat, I would throttle Peshak; I had to get out of this Hell. On my knees I reached out for that feline, Intent on the murder at hand, I cared naught for his fleas, his festering disease, I knew I must take a stand. As I reached for Peshak, I saw past him, And realized with joy and surprise, The mist and the shroud, the trembling ground – Were no more -– we had crested the rise. I stood on that hill and looked round me, Wondering whether I should laugh or just cry. Beside in the sun stood that old iron Noon Gun, Peshak merely winked with one eye. I could smell that a fire had been burning, Perhaps a guard'’s warming blaze from last night? I was sure that I heard the sounds of a bird, Softly stirring and flexing for flight. We turned with surprise as it faced us, Its soft Phoenix eyes on us both. I had heard through the years that it healed with its tears I wondered if that was the truth. “They do”, came words solemn and caring, And it reached with its wings for the sky. As its first flight began, o'’er this war torn old land, Golden tears softly fell from its eyes. My heart swelled with hope as I watched it, I looked down at Peshak by my side, He was healed now and new, with a soft golden hue, Smiling up at me gently with pride. Once upon a time there was a shade tree, And under the shade tree I sat, Idly eating mulberries, while sipping fine teas, And listening to tales from a cat. 02/03/2003 Visit Kristina Woodhill's Library A Cat's Tale Copyright © 2026

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