The Original Jethro the Cat

I mentioned once that Jethro the Cat was a character in a poem I wrote. If you're wondering when, it was in my infobox up until I lost my dog, Sandy.

No delays. No hesitation. After ten years, I give you The Story of Jethro the Cat. It's a mix of Dungeons and Dragons, Looney Tunes and The Dukes of Hazzard. It may not be a good mix, but, that's what I intended when I wrote it:

I edited the poem slightly as I posted it - I realized I forgot I renamed a few characters during the writing process. I also rewrote a few sentences just now for better flow. And formatting. But here's the poem I wrote, pretty much, nearly ten years ago. From here on in, what's in bold is the poem. Everything else is commentary.

4/5/19: I've decided to restore the poem to its original form. After I rewrote it a bit. I will explain why in a Part 6. And link to where I will post my revisions.

The Story of Jethro the Cat

This is the story of Jethro the Cat.

But I bet you knew that.

Jethro the Cat lived on his own.

Somewhere outside a large metro zone.

He did what he liked and liked what he did.

Even if it was what his neighbors did forbid.

If they told him to bathe, he did so in mud.

If he was told to dress nice, it was a dud.

Invite him to dinner, and he just couldn’t wait.

It was his behavior that drove his neighbors irate.

“He’s not a good cat,” said the Sheep Daisy Mae.

“He treats the rules with such bad disarray. “

“We need to teach him,” said her sister Jenny

“His rule breaking will get him four ‘n’ twenty.”

But then, one day, a stranger came strolling to town.

He was tall and lean and his coat was rusty brown.

His name was the Gamemaster, not Bob, John or Fred,

He assembled the townsfolk and this is what he said…

“I’m from another world; it’s one that I call there.”

“But I can send you to see it; that is, if you dare.”

“You must assemble a group, make it no more than six.”

“And I’ll send you all travelling; how’s that for a fix?”

“You‘ll travel my world, and see things big and small.”

“But beware of those ones who don’t like you at all.”

“If you meet one of those ones, you can fight back.”

“With your abilities, you’ll give them the sack.”

“My world is safe and fun, but don’t act like fools.”

“For I, the Gamemaster, make all the rules.”

After the meeting at noon, it later transpired,

A sneaky ambition the Gamemaster got inspired.

“A world full of order and a world full of rules,”

“There is the place that’ll placate all fools.”

These were the words of the bovine known as Vance,

A schemer and brute who liked Jethro out of his glance.

He and the neighbors travelled to Jethro’s location,

And gave him the idea to go “there” for vacation.

He accepted the idea; he gave it no thought,

Which meant that persuading him was a battle unfought.