Customer Reviews

Cat Haiku

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Cat owners will recognize their pets in these images. My daughter and I, cat lovers both, thoroughly enjoyed reading this book together.

I have read of a Buddhist master who had his students laugh for three minutes each morning. He compared that time of laughing to be equivalent to an hour of meditation. Being a woman with "time" issues, I try to get as much healing laughter meditation as possible into my day. This book packs a powerful punch in that respect.

If you have ever owned a cat or known someone who owned a cat, you will laugh out loud at many of these short poems based on the Japanese form of Haiku. The universal truths of cats -- and people -- are both loving and hilariously honest. It would make a perfect gift to treat yourself, a friend, your pastor, your rabbi, your veterinarian -- anyone who could use a good belly laugh.

The author knows cats (and their humans) very well, and has a genuine poetic gift. It is rare to find humorous poetry so well-constructed and so knowledgeable. I highly recommend this book to all cat-lovers.

CAt Haiku is a wonderful book. I have practiced psychiatry for 45 years and would have trouble explaining my patients as well as Deborah Coates explains her cats. She gets to the essence of being a cat- as far as any human being can. She also makes it fun to be in a room with a cat and to try to figure out which Haiku fits your cat on any given day or hour. William L. Clovis, M. D.

Deborah Coates, Cat Haiku (Warner, 2001)

Why would someone write
one hundred fifty haiku
(actually, senryu)

about cats? As well
ask why the felines would put
up with such a thing. ** ½

I found this book in a local 'art shop' and loved it then, but refused to pay full price for it. It was delightful enough to stay in my mind (2 years later), though, and now when I find copies on sale, I buy them to give them as gifts to my literate 'friends-of-cats'.

This book has delightful pen and ink drawings of cats - realistic or as cats' would look if their faces were more expressive.

The haiku, on the other hand, confuses external form for the "essence" of haiku ... it the syllables track it must be haiku. To fill the syllable requirements, the text employes all the cliches about cats. Since cats (at least the ones I live with) are masters of the present moment and understatement, haiku seems a natural form for poetry "written" by cats. Unfortunately, this book is not it.

One entry did catch my attention, although I fear it has a misprint: "Yes, actually, / I am burying a moose (sic)/ In the litter box!"

If you love cats, try "The Fur Person" instead.

If you are going to read cat haiku,
you might want to try other books.
Much of this is similar to other
cat haiku books, but it's not original
in its idea. Personally, I would
recommend Catnips: A Book of Haiku
on Cats. It was first with the idea.

This book has delightful pen and ink drawings of cats - realistic or as cats' would look if their faces were more expressive.

The haiku, on the other hand, confuses external form for the "essence" of haiku ... if the syllables track it must be haiku. To fill the syllable requirements, the text employes all the cliches about cats. Since cats (at least the ones I live with) are masters of the present moment and understatement, haiku seems a natural form for poetry "written" by cats. Unfortunately, this book is not it.

One entry did catch my attention, although I fear it has a misprint: "Yes, actually, / I am burying a moose (sic)/ In the litter box!"

If you love cats, try "The Fur Person" instead.

It's a funny idea, but really has nothing to do with Haiku poetry at all. And that, I'm afraid, is VERY disappointing. I recommend checking out "Take A Deep Breath: The Haiku Way to Inner Peace" to anyone who is really interested in understanding and truly enjoying Haiku poetry.