3. THE NAMING OF CATS
The naming of cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you a cat must have three different names
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as a Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey --
All of them sensible, everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter
Some for the gentleman, some for the dames
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter--
But all of them sensible everyday names
But I tell you a cat needs a name that's particular
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum'
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo or Coricopat
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum--
Names that never belong to more than one cat
But above and beyond there's still one name left over
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can recover
But the cat himself knows, and will never confess
When you notice a cat in profound meditation
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is enraged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name
His ineffable, effable, effinineffible
Deep and instructable singular name
Name, name, name, name, name, name
