Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat - Thomas Gray

The title of this is what grabbed me at first - it should seem like it's going to be a sad poem. But this poem is hysterical! Of course, it's not a funny subject - I've lost two cats and I know how it is to lose a pet. But the way Gray writes this, it's almost like he's therapeutically making a mockery of the situation for his own benefit. He wants to remember the cat as the witty, funny kitty it was. I especially love the imagery he uses to describe this cat. He writes something that could be so cliche, but it isn't when he goes about it. Not only is the imagery of the cat astounding, but the way he describes the fish with "scaly armour"! Fish are seen to be so delicate, but here he turns them into a type of Hercules! It reminds me of Pinocchio, and how Figaro (the cat) would always annoy Cleo (the fish), but Figaro of course always lost to Cleo.

The thing I guess I love most about this poem, is that Gray makes such a comedy out of it. Instead of feeling the need to weep, I feel the need to laugh. He didn't make this poem serious, but he didn't want to. It seems like a good idea to use to get over a death; even if this wasn't his kitty, he still made it sound that way.