One spring, when I was very small, my Grandma Anderson gave me an index card on which she had written a poem about pussy willows. Above the poem, in her unsteady hand, she had drawn a fence lined with little cats, their tails hanging down, and glued pussy willow on each of the cats to represent their bodies. I loved this card and wanted to keep it forever, but as I remember, the card didn't last very long as I insisted on petting my wee kittens over and over. I found these little cats to be so enchanting that I begged her to make me a card every spring after that.
I have searched online for a copy of that poem and this is the closest I can come. I don't remember the poem as much as her sweet drawing, but this one seems to fit.
I Know a Little Pussy
I know a little pussy,
Her coat is silver grey,
She lives down in the meadow,
Not very far away.
Although she is a pussy,
She'll never be a cat,
For she's a pussy willow,
Now what do you think of that?
Anonymous (poem found here)
Though those cards are long gone, I am still enchanted by pussy willows. Recently, to my great delight, my boss brought in pussy willows for the bud vases in the cafe, and I was able to relive the memory of the little pussy willow cards my grandmother used to make me. I have no pussy willows of my own to make poetry cards for my kids (although I might have to get some), but I thought I'd share a few photos of the pussy willows themselves with you today.
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