On such a night, or such a night, 1
Would anybody care
If such a little figure
Slipped quiet from its chair－
So quiet－Oh how quiet,5
That nobody might know
But that the little figure
Rocked softer－to and fro－
On such a dawn, or such a dawn－9
Would anybody sigh
That such a little figure
Too sound asleep did lie
For Chanticleer to wake it－13
Or stirring house below－
Or giddy bird in orchard－
Or early task to do?
There was a little figure plump 17
For every little knoll－
Busy needles, and spools of thread－
And trudging feet from school－
Playmates, and holidays, and nuts－21
And visions vast and small－
Strange that the feet so precious charged
Should reach so small a goal!
Would anybody care
If such a little figure
Slipped quiet from its chair－
So quiet－Oh how quiet,5
That nobody might know
But that the little figure
Rocked softer－to and fro－
On such a dawn, or such a dawn－9
Would anybody sigh
That such a little figure
Too sound asleep did lie
For Chanticleer to wake it－13
Or stirring house below－
Or giddy bird in orchard－
Or early task to do?
There was a little figure plump 17
For every little knoll－
Busy needles, and spools of thread－
And trudging feet from school－
Playmates, and holidays, and nuts－21
And visions vast and small－
Strange that the feet so precious charged
Should reach so small a goal!
(F.84/J.146)
[3] a little figure:: a cat.
[9, 12] dawn, asleep:: sleeping in daytime the cat.
[13, 15] Chanticleer, bird:: cat's prey by nature.
[14] stirring house below:: rats.
[17, 18] was, plump:: was encountering bluntly.
[18] knoll:: a lump, a large piece (OED n.1 5); anything a lump from the cat's view.
[19] needles, thread:: a woman doing needle work.
[20] feet from school:: schoolboys.
[21] nuts:: a source of pleasure.
[23, 24] charged, small a goal:: the cat was just playing without goal.