The Tom Cat
By Donald Robert Perry Marquis
At midnight in the alley
A Tom-cat comes to wail,
And he chants the hate of a million years
As he swings his snaky tail.Malevolent, bony, brindled
Tiger and devil and bard,
His eyes are coals from the middle of Hell
And his heart is black and hard.He twists and crouches and capers
And bares his curved sharp claws,
And he sings to the stars of the jungle nights
Ere cities were, or laws.Beast from world primeval,
He and his leaping clan,
When the blotched red moon leers over the roofs,
Give voice to their scorn of man.He will lie on a rug tomorrow
And lick his silky fur,
And veil the brute in his yellow eyes
And pretend he’s tame and purr.But at midnight in the alley
He will crouch again and wail,
And beat the rhythm of his demon’s song
With the swing of his demon’s tail.
Summary of The Tom Cat
Donald Robert Perry Marquis’s “The Tom Cat” is a captivating poem that brings a seemingly simple subject – a neighborhood cat – to life with surprising depth and artistry. The poem depicts a tomcat who, under the cloak of midnight, unleashes a primal wail, a song echoing the animosity of generations. However, this “demon” transforms with the dawn, becoming a docile house pet, purring and concealing his wild nature.
The central idea revolves around the duality of nature—the untamed instinct lurking beneath a veneer of domestication. Marquis playfully contrasts the cat’s nocturnal savagery with its daytime affection, suggesting a timeless tension between wildness and civilization. The poem isn’t just about a cat; it’s a miniature exploration of the animal within us all, and a subtle commentary on the human tendency to both embrace and suppress our more primal instincts.
Analysis of “The Tom Cat”
The Power of Imagery and Setting
The poem immediately establishes a powerful atmosphere with its opening lines: “At midnight in the alley / A Tom-cat comes to wail.” The setting—a dark, urban alley—is crucial. Alleys represent the margins of society, places where the rules are looser, and the wild can still breathe. The midnight hour reinforces this sense of the untamed, a time when shadows lengthen and hidden instincts surface. The verb “wail” is particularly evocative, suggesting a deep, almost sorrowful cry, hinting at something ancient and profound.
Developing Character Through Figurative Language
Marquis doesn’t simply tell us the cat is wild and dangerous; he shows us through vivid figurative language. Consider the second stanza: “Malevolent, bony, brindled / Tiger and devil and bard.” This is a cascade of potent descriptors. “Malevolent” establishes the cat’s ill intent, while “bony” and “brindled” paint a stark physical picture. The comparison to a “tiger” immediately evokes power and predatory instinct. The inclusion of “devil” and “bard” is particularly striking. “Devil” connects the cat to a force of chaos and primal energy, while “bard” is an unexpected touch. A bard is a storyteller, a singer, and the cat’s wail is a song – a lament echoing through time. This suggests the cat isn’t merely malicious; it’s expressing something deep and ancient.
The line “His eyes are coals from the middle of Hell” is a stunning example of metaphor. The cat’s eyes aren’t simply glowing; they are miniature infernos, reflecting a fierce, internal fire. This intensifies the image of the cat as a creature of darkness and danger. Similarly, “And his heart is black and hard” solidifies the cat’s unyielding, perhaps even ruthless, nature.
Exploring Primal Behavior and Ancient Roots
The third stanza delves into the cat’s connection to the distant past. “He twists and crouches and capers / And bares his curved sharp claws.” These actions are not merely playful; they are echoes of the cat’s ancestors, the wild predators who roamed the earth long before humans built cities. The line “And he sings to the stars of the jungle nights / Ere cities were, or laws” is particularly poignant. The cat’s song isn’t meant for human ears; it’s a call to a bygone era, a lament for a lost wilderness. The phrase “Ere cities were, or laws” emphasizes the cat’s independence, its refusal to be confined by human constructs.
Duality of Nature: Taming the Beast
The poem’s central tension is brilliantly captured in the fifth stanza. “He will lie on a rug tomorrow / And lick his silky fur.” This is a complete reversal of the previous imagery. The “demon” transforms into a docile pet, indulging in mundane comforts. The phrase “veil the brute” is key; the cat conceals its wild nature, presenting a domesticated façade. This suggests a performance, a calculated act of deception. The cat isn’t truly tame; it’s merely masking its true instincts to gain access to human resources—food, shelter, affection.
Returning to the Wild: The Cycle Continues
The poem concludes by reaffirming the cyclical nature of the cat’s behavior. “But at midnight in the alley / He will crouch again and wail.” The final image echoes the opening lines, emphasizing that the wildness never truly disappears. It’s merely suppressed during the day, only to resurface under the cover of darkness. This reinforces the poem’s central theme—the inherent duality of nature, the constant tension between instinct and civilization.
Literary and Poetic Devices
Marquis skillfully employs a range of literary and poetic devices to enhance the poem’s impact.
- Alliteration: Notice the repetition of consonant sounds, such as in “bony, brindled” or “sings to the stars” which creates a musicality and emphasizes certain phrases.
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds, as in “At midnight in the alley,” contributes to the poem’s lyrical quality.
- Imagery: The poem is rich in vivid imagery, appealing to multiple senses. We can see the “brindled” cat, hear its “wail,” and feel the chill of the alley.
- Metaphor and Simile: The poem uses both metaphor (“His eyes are coals…”) and simile to create powerful comparisons.
- Enjambment: Lines often flow into the next, creating a sense of momentum and mirroring the cat’s fluid movements.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem generally follows an ABCB rhyme scheme, creating a pleasing rhythm.
“The Tom Cat” is a deceptively simple poem that offers a profound meditation on the complexities of nature, the duality of instinct and civilization, and the enduring power of the wild within us all. It remains a captivating read for anyone interested in exploring these themes through the lens of a compelling poetic narrative.