an angelic poem...

About a month ago I was very lucky to find a beautiful and rare, genuine leather-bound antique book of poetry published in 1936. I've never had a book that was  bound in leather before. I showed it to my publisher friend kaydered and he said it was a very old way of how they used to make books. And the pages are so white too-it looks like it was just stored away for the past 78 years and not read. It 's a big book too-648 pages of poetry. It's called "The Best Loved Poems of the American People". I already have many favorite poems in it, but this one made me cry and I wanted to share it here...

The ghost of a little white kitten
Crying mournfully, early and late,
Distracted Saint Peter, the watchman,
As he guarded the heavenly gate.
"Say, what do you mean," said his Saintship,
"Coming here and behaving like that?"
"I want to see Nellie, my missus,"
Sobbed the wee little ghost of a cat.
"I know she's not happy without me,
Won't you open and let me go in?"
"Begone," gasped the horrified watchman,
"Why the very idea is a sin;
I open the gate to good angels,
Not to stray little beggars like you."
"All right," mewed the little white kitten,
"Though a cat, I'm a good angel, too."
Amazed at so bold an assertion,
But aware that he made no mistake,
In silence, Saint Peter long pondered,
For his name and repute were at stake.
Then placing the cat in his bosom
With a "Whist now, and say all your prayers,"
He opened the heavenly portals
And ascended the bright golden stairs.
A little girl angel came flying,
"That's my kitty, Saint Peter," she cried.
And, seeing the joy of their meeting,
Peter let the cat angel abide.

This tale is the tale of a kitten
Dwelling now with the blessed above,
It vanquished grim Death and High Heaven
For the name of the kitten was Love.

(By Leontine Stanfield in
"The Best Loved Poems of the American People")