Poems Written by Latanya Sweeney

The Fat Cat That Sat

There was a cat.
Her name was Zat.
She was called,
the fat cat that sat.

She sat on hats.
She sat on mats.
She even sat on other cats.
That is why she was called,
the fat cat that sat.

First, Zat found a big, fat hat.
It looked just right for a cat.

She climbed the hat.
But remember,

Zat was fat.
So just as she sat,
the hat went flat,
and Zat fell splat!
Zat did NOT like that.

Then, Zat saw a big, fat mat.
It looked just right for a cat.

She stood on the mat,
and got scared.

She thought of the hat,
and how it fell flat.
She waited on that big, fat mat.
She did NOT go splat,
like she did with the hat.
Maybe, this mat was right for Zat.

There sat Zat on that mat.
She forgot all about that old, flat hat.

While Zat sat on that mat,
something happened.

She got cold where she sat.
There was water all on the mat!
Zat did NOT like that.

Then, Zat saw a big, fat cat.
It looked just right for poor Zat.

She went to the cat,
and then stopped.

She thought of the hat,
and how it fell flat.
She thought of the mat,
that got cold where she sat.
Maybe, this cat was NOT for Zat.

As Zat sat on that cat,
she did NOT fall splat,
like she did on the hat.
She did NOT get cold,
like she did on the mat.
Maybe, this cat was right for Zat.

Then, Zat turned to thank the cat.
She was shocked.

That sleeping fat cat,
was NOT even a cat,
but in fact, a fat rat!
Zat did NOT like that.

Last, Zat saw a bed for fat cats.
Could that bed be right for Zat?

She walked on the bed
and stood still.

She thought of the hat,
and how it fell flat.
She thought of the mat,
that got cold where she sat.
She thought of the cat,
that was really a rat.
That old bed was NOT for Zat.

There stood Zat,
in the bed for cats.
She did NOT fall splat,
like she did on the hat.
She did NOT get cold,
like she did on the mat.
She did NOT get scared,
like she did with the rat.
But that bed was NOT for Zat.

Zat kept standing in that bed.
Then, it happened.

Zat was fat.
So, her legs said, "that's that."
They folded back,
and there sat Zat,
in that bed for cats.

She thought of the hat,
and how it fell flat.
She thought of the mat,
that got cold where she sat.
She thought of the cat,
that was really a rat.
Now, what will happen in this bed for cats?

Zat sat and sat and sat.
She fell asleep.

She awoke and said,
this bed for cats
was made for Zat.
It is NOT like the hat,
the mat or the rat.
This bed is just right for Zat.

Now, when I talk of cats,
I think of Zat,
the fat cat that sat.