Milk for the Cat” is a children's poem by Harold Monro that describes a cat's longing for milk. The poem uses sensory details to create a vivid image of the cat's experience.
Summary
The poem describes a cat who is very punctual about getting her evening milk.
The cat pretends to be casual when she enters the room, but she is actually very focused on finding milk.
The cat's eyes change from casual to hard as she looks for milk.
The cat stamps her claws, raises her ears, and twists her tail to get attention.
The cat's body becomes tense and she shrinks with desire.
The milk is served and the cat immediately relaxes and enjoys the milk.
Theme
The poem's main theme is desire. The cat's desire for milk drives her to the poet's house, where she waits patiently for it.
Language
The poem uses simple yet effective language to create a vivid image of the cat's experience.
The milk is described as “a full moon” and the cat's experience as “transfigured with love”.
When the tea
is brought at five o'clock,
And all the neat curtains are drawn with care,
The little black cat with bright green eyes
Is suddenly purring there.
At first she pretends, having nothing to do,
She has come in merely to blink by the grate,
But, though tea may be late or the milk may be sour,
She is never late.
And presently her agate eyes
Take a soft large milky haze,
And her independent casual glance
Becomes a stiff, hard gaze.
Then she stamps her claws or lifts her ears,
Or twists her tail and begins to stir,
Till suddenly all her lithe body becomes
One breathing, trembling purr.
The children eat and wriggle and laugh;
The two old ladies stroke their silk:
But the cat is grown small and thin with desire,
Transformed to a creeping lust for milk.
The white saucer like some full moon descends
At last from the clouds of the table above;
She sighs and dreams and thrills and glows,
Transfigured with love.
She nestles over the shining rim,
Buries her chin in the creamy sea;
Her tail hangs loose; each drowsy paw
Is doubled under each bending knee.
A long, dim ecstasy holds her life;
Her world is an infinite shapeless white,
Till her tongue has curled the last holy drop,
Then she sinks back into the night,
Draws and dips her body to heap
Her sleepy nerves in the great arm-chair,
Lies defeated and buried deep
Three or four hours unconscious there.
Glossary
- neat:
tidy, organized, and clean.
- curtains:
fabric hangings used to block light, provide privacy, or decorate a room.
- drawn:
pulled or moved to a closed position.
- care:
attention, concern, or caution.
- purring:
making a low, rumbling sound, typically indicating happiness or relaxation.
- pretends:
to give a false appearance or impression.
- blink: to
shut and open the eyes quickly.
- grate: a
metal grid or framework, often used for ventilation.
- sour:
having an unpleasant taste or smell.
- presently:
soon or after a short time.
- agate: a
type of stone, often used in jewellery.
- milky:
resembling milk in colour or consistency.
- haze: a
vague or unclear appearance.
-
independent: free from influence or control.
- casual:
happening or done without much thought or planning.
- glance: a
quick look or glimpse.
- stiff:
rigid or unyielding.
- hard:
firm, solid, or unyielding.
- stamps: to
bring the foot down heavily on the ground.
- claws:
sharp, hooked nails, especially on an animal's feet.
- lifts: to
raise or move something upward.
- twists: to
turn or bend something into a different shape.
- stir: to
move slightly or begin to move.
- lithe:
slender and flexible.
- trembling:
shaking or quivering, often due to fear, excitement, or weakness.
- wriggle:
to twist or turn in a sudden, jerky movement.
- stroke: to
move one's hand or an object over a surface, often in a smooth or gentle
manner.
- grown: to
increase in size, amount, or degree.
- desire: a
strong feeling of wanting something.
-
transformed: changed or altered in form or nature.
- creeping:
moving slowly and quietly, often in a stealthy
- lust: a
strong, intense desire.
- saucer: a
small, shallow dish, often used for holding milk or other liquids.
- descends:
to move downward.
- sighs: to
let out a deep breath, often expressing relief, happiness, or sadness.
- thrills:
to feel a sudden, intense sensation of excitement or pleasure.
- glows: to
shine or radiate light, often with a warm or soft quality.
-
transfigured: changed or transformed in form or nature, often in a spiritual or
mystical way.
- nestles:
to settle or snuggle into a comfortable position.
- shining:
reflecting light, often with a bright or radiant quality.
- rim: the
edge or border of a circular or curved object.
- buried: to
place or hide something under a covering of earth, sand, or other material.
- chin: the
lower front part of the face.
- creamy:
having a smooth, rich, or velvety texture, often associated with milk or dairy
products.
- drowsy:
feeling sleepy or lethargic.
- paw: the
foot of an animal, especially a quadruped.
- ecstasy: a
state of intense happiness, excitement, or trance-like experience.
- dim: faint
or barely perceptible.
- infinite:
having no end or limit.
- shapeless:
lacking a definite or recognizable form.
- curled: to
bend or shape something into a curved or spiral form.
- holy:
revered or sacred.
- sinks: to
fall or move downward, often slowly or quietly.
- draws: to
pull or move something toward oneself.
- dips: to
lower or immerse something into a liquid or other substance.
- heap: a
pile or collection of things.
- sleepy:
feeling drowsy or lethargic.
- lies: to
recline or rest on a surface.
- defeated:
overcome or subdued.
-
unconscious: lacking awareness or consciousness.
1. Summary
(ai): This poem is a touching
representation of feline desire and longing. The language is simple yet
effective, with a strong focus on sensory details that create a vivid image of
the cat's experience.
The poem begins with the cat being introduced as a seemingly casual presence in
a domestic setting. However, as the poem progresses, it becomes clear that the
cat is deeply consumed by its desire for milk. This desire is so intense that
it transforms the cat's entire body into "one breathing/ trembling
pur."
The climax of the poem comes when the cat finally gets its milk. The language
here is particularly vivid, with the milk being described as "a full
moon" and the cat's experience as "transfigured with love."
After indulging in the milk, the cat falls into a deep sleep, its body
"defeated and buried deep." This ending suggests that the cat's
desire has been fulfilled, and that it can now finally rest.
In terms of comparing this poem to the author's other works, it is clear that
"Milk For The Cat" is a more personal and intimate poem than many of
Monro's other works, which often focus on more abstract or philosophical
themes. However, the poem does share some similarities with Monro's other work
in its use of sensory detail and its exploration of the human condition.
Overall, "Milk For The Cat" is a well-crafted poem that provides a
unique and insightful glimpse into the mind of a cat. The poem's simple yet
effective language, combined with its vivid imagery, creates a truly memorable
experience for the reader.
2. Summary: Harold Monro's poem Milk for the Cat is a simple,
humorous account about the activities of a black domestic cat and how it
interacts with her surroundings.
The little
black cat with bright green eyes,
Is suddenly purring there.”
The poet explains the setting of the house in the first stanza. The curtains are drawn neatly and the little black cat who has bright green eyes is seen suddenly purring. It is understood from the stanza that the cat is aware of the tea break that occurs daily at 5 o'clock.
She catches
the occupants of the house off guard as she's seen suddenly appearing in the
house. The poet then confirms that she is never late. She acts calm when the
tea is being served even though she is anticipating her milk in silence.
Finally when the milk is brought into the room her casual glance suddenly turns
into an attentive and stiff gaze.
And
presently her agate eyes
Take a soft large milky haze,
And her independent casual glance
Becomes a stiff, hard gaze.
Then the
poet goes on to elaborate the relation between the cat and milk. She is
preparing herself before gulping down the milk. She slowly stretches her body
and stamps her claws and twists her tail. Soon her body becomes a 'single
breathing trembling purr’. The room consists of laughing children and two old
ladies. She is not concerned with their presence. Her only focus is on the
milk.
The white
saucer in which the milk is brought in is compared to the bright full moon
descending from the cloudy night sky. Soon the interaction between cat and the
milk is compared to that of the reunion of two lovers.
She sighs
and dreams and thrills glows,
Transfigured with love.
The poet
compares the cat and milk to long separated lovers. The cat is seen to immerse
herself into the creamy sea of milk. She tends to forget her surroundings in
the course of her consumption. She drinks up to the last holy drop of milk. She
is seen to have been losing herself into the infinite shapeless white color of
the milk. According to the poet, this is indicative of true love and passion
between them.
She is in
extreme happiness as she is drinking up the last holy drop before she gets back
into the night. The process of having this milk is compared to her having her
dreams come true. She is thrilled and glows with love in the process.
A long, dim
ecstasy holds her life,
Her world is an infinite shapeless white,
Till her tongue has curled the last drop,
Then she sinks back into the night.
After having
her milk, she is seen to be lying defeated and tired in the great armchair. She
soon falls asleep. She sleeps for three to four hours and is undisturbed by
anything.
The poet
brings in the element of humour while he describes the antics of the house cat.
He is narrating the simple and mundane act of drinking milk to the reunion of
lovers. While this is an amusing sight for humans this happiness might be a
reality for the cat.
Milk For The Cat Questions & Answers
Question 1: Fill in the blanks with correct words from
the brackets.
(a) The cat starts purring at teatime (tea time/lunch
time) as she expects her bowl of milk
(b) She reminds (fights/reminds) the owners about her
milk by coming to the grate
(c) She pretends not to be interested
(interested/independent) with her casual glance at first.
(d) Her trembling purr gives away her desire
(dislike/desire) for the milk
(e) The cat's body seems to grow thin (thin/thick)
with desire at the thought of having the milk.
(f) When the saucer of milk is passed to her, the cat
is filled with love(love/worry)
(g) After she finishes the milk, the cat withdraws in
contentment (anger/contentment).
(h) Finally, the cat sleeps comfortably in the
armchair (bed/armchair) after her meal.
Question 2: When did the little black cat start
purring? Why?
Answer: The little black cat with bright green eyes
starts purring when the curtains are drawn with care and the tea is brought at
five o clock in the evening as the cat has come to drink milk
Question 3: What does the cat pretend to be doing?
Answer: The cat pretends not to be interested with her
casual glance at first and that she came just to blink by the grate.
Question 4: How does the cat's gaze change? Why do you
think this is happening?
Answer: There was a change in cat's gaze as first her
solid colourful took a soft, large and milky haze and then her casual glance
became stiff and hard. This is happening as she is eagerly looking forward for
the milk and curious to have it
Question 5: Describe the cat's body language at the
thought of getting her milk.
Answer: The cat stamps her claws, lifts her ears,
twists her tail and began to stir until her slim flexible body begins to
tremble.
Milk For The Cat Questions & Answers
Question 6: What is the cat's posture when she drinks
the 'creamy sea'?
Answer: The cat's tail is hanging lose and her drowsy
paws are doubled under her bent knees, while she drinks the 'creamy sea'
referred to as the milk
Question 7: How does milk change the cat's world for a
few moments?
Answer: The cat grows small and thin with desire,
later this desire is transformed into a creeping lust for milk. As soon as she
sees the white saucer full of milk, she feels as if the whole moon is coming
from above the clouds and give a sigh of relief, she dreams, is thrilled and
glowing and changed with love for the milk.
Question 8: How do we know that the cat is satisfied
after her holy drink? Why is the milk referred to as 'holy'?
Answer: The cat is satisfied and relaxed after her
tongue took the last drop of her holy drink ie the milk as she buries herself
into the armchair and sinks herself into the night with an unconscious sleep of
three to four hours.
The milk is referred to as 'holy as the cat attains an
extreme state of happiness and satisfaction after having it
Question 9: What happens at five o'clock?
Answer: Tea is served at five o'clock, and the little
black cat comes purring almost immediately for her saucer of milk.
Question 10: Why does the cat stamp her claws, lift
her ears, twist her tail, and begin to stir?
Answer: The cat stamps her claws, lifts her ears,
twists her tail, and begins to stir to express her impatience for the saucer of
milk.
Milk For The Cat Questions & Answers
Question 11: How does the author describe the saucer
of milk that is given to the cat?
Answer: The saucer of milk is compared to a full moon
with the creamy sea which is referred to as milk in it.
Question 12: What does the cat do after drinking the
milk?
Answer: After drinking the milk, the cat buries
herself into the armchair and sinks herself into the night with an unconscious
sleep of three to four hours.
Question 13: Read the lines below and answer the
questions that follow:
But the cat is grown small and thin with desire,
Transformed to a creeping lust for milk.
(a) Where does the scene take place? Describe it.
Answer: The scene takes place inside the house where
the children are eating, laughing twisting and turning their bodies and the two
old ladies are stroking their silk.
(b) What is meant by 'Transformed to a creeping lust
for milk?
Answer: The line shows the cat's increasing desire and
eagerness to have milk.
(c) Do you think it is a happy scene? Why?
Answer: Yes, we think it is a happy scene as children
are wriggling and laughing
Question 14: Read the lines below and answer the
questions that follow:
She nestles over the shining rim, Buries her chin in
the creamy sea;
(a) Where is the cat? Why is she there?
D
Answer: The cat is inside the house and she is there
to drink milk.
(b) What do the word 'shining rim' and 'creamy sea
refer to?
Answer: The word shining rim refers to the white
saucer in which the milk is served to the cat and creamy sea is referred to the
milk.
(c) What is her posture while drinking milk?
Answer: The cat's tail is hanging lose and her drowsy
paws are doubled under her bent knees while drinking milk.
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