Help with an old poem, please!

Google is your friend.

SMUT.

Oh, I wish that you had seen him,

Our little pussy cat.

He came so skinny, scrag, and lean,

And went away so fat !

They said he stole the food and things ;

Perhaps he did so, but

He really couldn’t help it —couldn’t Smut.

He walked upon the dresser shelf

And knocked down mother’s jugs,

Broke half a dozen dinner plates,

And Kate’s and Molly’s mugs.

I guess he thought he heard a mouse ;

He didn’t catch it, but

He really couldn’t help it —couldn’t Smut.

He tore up half the leather chairs,

They bought a set to match,

And just to show he noticed it

He marked them with a scratch.

Then Father, he got very mad ;

It was annoying, but

He really couldn’t help it—couldn’t Smut.

So of fellowship and feelings, too,

We made a sacrifice,

And gave him to a farmer man

To catch his rats and mice.

We wept to lose our pussy cat ;

And he was sorry, but

We really couldn’t help it—could we, Smut ?

But it’s a nice post as the Poem was found.

This post is over nine years old!

Reading with a grandchild is one of the greatest gifts you can give them,CanadianGran - especially from a book you yourself enjoyed as a child.

Well done grans!

What good detectives are you all! Well done.

You never know what treasure you will find in a used book store. I found a copy of a much loved children's novel by Mary Calhoun called Katie John, published in 1960.

There were a series of the Katie John character, which I read and re-read from the local library when I was a child. I was happy to find a copy! I should pull it out for my granddaughter, but the book is not in the greatest condition. Perhaps one we could read together.

It was published in an Australian school magazine in 1917 and stored in the archive.
nla.gov.au/nla.obj-773557348/view?sectionId=nla.obj-822517775&partId=nla.obj-773603049#page/n5/mode/1up
I took a screenshot too.

Well it looks as if Cattery has found it
Well done

It sounds like your husband is caught in a nostalgic mystery! Sometimes poems like that can be hard to track down, especially when Google results take a humorous turn. Maybe try reaching out on poetry forums or social media groups—someone might recognize it. Hope you both crack the case soon!

Hello everyone
I've been searching for this poem for a few years and am actually really emotional that I found this page (and I signed up so I could say thank you!)
I'm 'only' 41 and learnt this poem in about 1990 in primary school. We were asked to learn by heart a verse of any poem we liked and I found this one in a huge red backed, very old book that my mum had. She had a cat called Smut growing up in the 1940s, 50s and so it felt right to choose this one. I was only meant to learn one verse but I loved it so much, I learnt it all. I think it ignited my love for poetry so I'm thrilled that I can see it all again. Thank you! I hope this page will be useful for any others looking for the poem about Oir Cat Smut!

This?

Brilliant work Gransnet detectives.
Another time it might yield dividends to search Google Books.

If anyone is wanting to try and buy a book with that poem it is in here:

Title:Children's Treasury: Best Loved Verse
Author:Margaret Tarrant
Illustrated by:Margaret Tarrant
Publisher:Smithmark Publishers, Incorporated, 1990
ISBN:083171364X, 9780831713645

Sorry, please ignore the last post -having technical difficulties! The entire poem, 'Our Cat' by Judge Parry is as follows:
Our Cat
by Judge Parry

Oh I wish that you had seen him,
our little pussy cat,
he came so skinny, scrag and lean,
and went away so fat
They said he stole the food and things,
perhaps he did so but,
He really couldn’t help it, couldn’t Smut.

He walked upon the dresser shelf
And knocked down mother’s jugs,
broke half a dozen dinner plates
and Kate’s and Molly’s mugs.
I guess he thought he heard a mouse
perhaps he did so but,
he really couldn’t help it, couldn’t Smut.

At night he went upon the spree
and walked upon the tiles,
his caterwaul re-echoing for miles and miles and miles.
Poor Pater said it woke him up
it was annoying but
he really couldn’t help it, couldn’t Smut.
 
He tore up half the leather chairs,
they bought a set to match
and just to show he noticed it
he marked them with a scratch.
Now Pater he was raving mad
it was annoying but,
he really couldn’t help it, couldn’t Smut.

So of fellowship and feelings too
we made a sacrifice
and gave him to a farmer man
to chase his rats and mice.
We wept to lose our pussy cat
and he was sorry but
we really couldn’t help it, could we Smut?

werewrewwerew

I think perseverance is called for. I saw a snatch of poem on a poster and loved it so much I tried to find the original. It took two attempts at googling it, plus mining what data I found until finally about four layers of searching down I finally found the poem I was looking for.

Can't remember the rest, but these scraps are still in my head. Learned it in school, in South Wales . . . wonder if it was the same school?

Oh I wish that you had seen him,
Our little pussy cat!
He came so skinny, scrag and lean,
And went away so fat.
They said he stole the milk and things,
I'm sure he did so, but -
He really couldn't help it,
Couldn't Smut.

He danced upon the dresser shelf
And knocked down Mother's jugs.
Broke half a dozen dinner plate,
And Kate's and Molly's mugs
?
?
He really couldn't help it
Couldn't Smut!

??? leather furniture
They bought a set to match
And just to show he noticed it,
He marked it with a scratch!
?
?
?
Couldn't Smut

Something upon the tiles
His caterwaul re-echoing round
For miles and miles and miles
??

Somethin about "poor pater's head"

They gave him to a farmer man
To catch his rats and mice

Well I just Googled the first line and came back to you lovely lot. I am going round in circles.

This thread came up when I tried Google
I also tried youtube, with no luck.
It does sound vaguely familiar.

I have just checked one book finding site one book finding site and two copies come up. I would want to check that it is the right one with the seller and that the poem is in there.

assumed not assumes

It gets a mention here with '- Judge Parry' following it so I assumes that he is the writer.

The quote is "" Oh, I wish that you had seen him,
Our little pussy cat.
He came so skinny, scrag, and lean.
And went away so fat."

This took me to CHILDREN'S Boons.—Pater's Book of Rhymes. By Judge Parry.

A. Rusden. (Sherratt and Hughes, Manchester. 3s. 6d.)—This is an amusing collection of verses and pictures that is sure to be liked by children. Here is a verse from "Our Cat"

Looking for 'Our Cat by Judge Parry' didn't get me any further so I think you may have to look for the book.

Yes, that's the one. But most of them are in America where the books were more famous. A book shop in Berwick was going to order one for me; I wasn't sure it was the right one and it was quite expensive, but I was prepared to risk it. Unfortunately they had an illness in the family and all business was put on hold. I shall google it again; another book might be on now. The one's I've seen don't quite match the picture in my head.

type the world you remember on Google and it will come with some suggestions

Tegan look on Amazon. There are a few versions of "Lad, a dog" by somebody called Terhune. Is that it?

My Mum learnt the poem as a child so it definitely was not made up. Does anyone know who it was by? She would have learnt it in the thirties.