CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT

by Danna Shirley
Writing assignment
I knew my neighbor, Johnson, didn’t like my cat,

            but did he have to kill her?

Peaches was a Persian with just a slight peach color down her back

but she was the cleanest, softest, most beautiful feline I’d ever seen.

Johnson had threatened to poison her if she did her business in his garden again,

but how do you control a cat?

She had been declawed before coming to me so she couldn’t protect herself,

but I lived out in the country so I thought it was safe enough to let her roam free.

It never occurred to me that country living included stray dogs, deer, raccoons, etc.

but they were a danger to a declawed cat.

Oh, how could I have been so unaware of the threats to my sweet Peaches,

but where was she?

I searched the barn where she would chase her mice appetizers,

but no Peaches.

Then proceeded to the greenhouse where she would lay sunning herself in the corner,

but no Peaches.

I checked the cellar, another good hiding place,

but there were only corncobs and cobwebs.

I dreaded my next option of having to allege Johnson of foul play,

but it had to be done.

I rode my four-wheeler across the back forty to our adjoining properties,

but approaching his home brought much dismay.

I guess Johnson and I got off on the wrong foot when Peaches invaded his domain,

but I had to ask him about my sweet pet regardless of our poor beginning.

He wasn’t very cordial at the door,

but when he saw my distress, he softened and agreed to help me find her.

We searched his property as I had my own; barn, greenhouse, shed, stockyard,

but she was nowhere to be found.

We walked back to the house and my four-wheeler,

but we both stopped short when we heard a faint meow under his porch.

He broke off one of the rails over the crawl space and shone a light under the house,

but nothing could be seen, only heard.

We whistled and coaxed Peaches out of the darkness,

but she did not come alone.

She must have been cattin’ around with the Dark Knight,

because along with her came a mixture of white, black, tan, and gray kittens.

Curiosity didn’t kill the cat . . . it got her pregnant!

NEW JERUSALEM

by Danna Shirley
            As a passenger on a flight one New Year’s Eve day, I glanced out of the airplane’s cabin window and noticed the brightness of the clouds. It was as if I was looking at a scene on earth with the clouds having their own range of peaks and valleys.  It seemed I could literally walk across heaven. They were white and billowing; some looked mountainous and some looked desert-like; some looked like the tide rolling into shore. Off on the horizon (if clouds can have a horizon), I saw what looked like the skyline of a beautiful city—and I thought of New Jerusalem.

            As we flew on, the clouds parted and I could peer down to see that it was dusk on the earth below—even though we were still in the daylight above. Then, as dusk crept in upon us in the clouds, a ruby glow appeared on the far side of the sky and then it was dark.

            I saw a glimpse of God’s creation never seen before the advent of flight. It stirred something in me; a special gift from God.  I felt very blessed to have been there.

“I saw the Holy City, the NEW JERUSALEM,

coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”  
(Revelation 21:2 NIV)

MY CIRCUS DREAM

By Danna Shirley

Writing assignment was to use the below words in a story: 

Elephant     Tent     Secret     Music     Mysterious     Old Man     Megaphone     Vanity

My local newspaper had a one-page, color ad that a circus was coming to town in two weeks. Since I loved being under The Big Tent and seeing all the animals, I put the date on my calendar. It was no secret that I was in awe of the lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my.

I had not only dreamed of seeing the circus but of being IN the circus. I was the Ring Master announcing all the performers through the megaphone; I was the high wire act, bouncing and swaying above the crowd; I was one of the clowns in the little car honking my horn and spitting sprays of water through my lapel flower keeping time to the music; I was even the lowliest of the low scooping up elephant droppings. I didn’t care. My vanity was on high-drive believing I could do anything in this strange and mysterious profession.

Alas, time goes on…way too fast…and my childhood dreams faded into the background as I matured into a more acceptable profession. The patriarch of the family, my old man as I called him behind his back, kept a close watch while waiting for me to find myself. Well, I was close, but still had faint wanderings of circus life, especially when I learned The Greatest Show on Earth was going by the wayside after 146 years.

The day arrived and I drove the three hours to enjoy the Final Hurrah of my childhood fantasy. Even though I sat alone, I was not alone. The lights were bright and gleeful. The costumes sparkly. The room was electric with excitement, everyone realizing they were part of the last audience to experience this last, great performance. It was a sad day but for me, one I will cherish forever.  

A Message from Kenneth Feld

https://www.ringling.com/

On Sunday, May 21 [2017] Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey^® said its final farewell to a sold-out crowd of incredibly enthusiastic fans. The response they gave to everyone who made the show possible – performers, staff and crew – was heartwarming. Though it was difficult to say goodbye, my family and I were heartened to send off The Greatest Show On Earth^® in the celebratory and positive fashion that this American treasure deserves.

We want to thank all of our fans for supporting Ringling Bros. over the years. In the fifty years that my family has been producing Ringling Bros., more than one quarter of a billion people have come to see the show, and we’ve been privileged to have been able to share the joy of Ringling Bros. with you.