Skip to main content
the cat approaches
the cat approaches

the cat approaches

Artist (American, born 1943)
Date1978
MediumLetterpress on paper booklet
DimensionsPaper Size (unfolded): 9 × 12 in. (22.9 × 30.5 cm) Paper Size (folded): 9 × 5 7/8 in. (22.9 × 14.9 cm)
ClassificationsPrint
Object numberUAC7446.14
DescriptionLetterpress printed poem by Faye Kicknosway titled, "the cat approaches".

Letterpress printed drawing by Brenda Goodman.

the cat approaches

this cat
is the length of my arm. its voice
comes over the telephone strange, distorted, from
the space only memory speaks. there is no way
to see inside it. it dreams

of food and carries its young
in spoons. its paws are hooves and its tail
is leather. and it speaks in a voice
swollen and red with tears. it has been
the bride of chance, of
optical illusion. the telephone

complains there isn't enough water
in what is said. and the cat nods, looking
at its wet, electric body. the telephone
bristles and the cat
bristles and the moon, out of reach in the bedroom wall,
dips her red fingernails into the cats
heart, into the telephones
heart, and i, caught in unsolved memories, hear
in their union a noise
like forks and knives
cutting up meat
on a plate.

Published by The Alternative Press, Issue Number 9.
Untitled
Mike Mikolowski
c. 1992
Untitled Still life (Tiger)
Brenda Goodman
1969
Photo credit Michelle Andonian & Tim Thayer
Rikuro Okamoto
1988-89
No. 7
John Egner
1972
The Museum of Tolerance
Sherman Alexie
c. 1993
Battlefield
Gordon Newton
1982
TRAFFIC
Andrei Codrescu
1981
TRAJECTORY
The Alternative Press
n.d.
PASSAGE
Donald Hall
c. 1978
Mei-mei
Cay Bahnmiller
2000-2003
Portrait of John Egner
Nancy Mitchnick
1973
Wright Hotel
Stephen Magsig
1998