A Heart for Two Knees

Gabriel, our dear feline friend,
you arrived not as a stranger—
but as a story already begun,
weathered paws, knowing eyes,
and Tibbs beside you,
two souls shaped by the streets.

You came a little worn,
a little unsure,
yet full of something unbreakable—
and we opened our door,
never knowing
how much love would follow you in.

Years unfolded in laughter—
your quiet mischief,
the sudden dash of paws across the floor,
toys chased like they mattered,
games played as though joy
was your true purpose all along.

When Tibbs left,
you stayed—
steady, gentle, still full of light.
And then came the move north,
to the bonnie hills of Scotland,
where you walked as if
you had always belonged there—
a Highland spirit in a small, soft body.

You hid beneath sheds,
waited in gardens,
turned ordinary days
into something we would remember.

And always—
four o’clock.
As if time itself
answered to you.
Pappa’s knee waiting,
your place certain,
your presence expected
like the turning of the day.

But never for long—
for love, to you,
was never meant
for one alone.
A gentle pause, a quiet rise,
and then to Momma’s knee you’d go,
sharing yourself in equal measure,
as if your heart knew
we both belonged to you.

“I miss you, little man,” I say—
and hear Momma smile,
“He’s not the little man—
he’s the man.”

And you were.

When you slipped away,
it was gentle—
a quiet goodbye
carried on sleep.

Now we weep,
because love does that.
But the laughter you gave
has not left us—
it lives in the rooms,
in the garden,
in the spaces you once filled
so easily.

We laid you to rest close by,
so we can still speak to you—
soft words carried on the wind,
as if you might answer
from just beyond sight.

The rawness is here now,
sharp and aching—
but we know
it will soften into something else:
a quieter love,
a lasting warmth.

Because what you gave us
cannot fade,
and what we feel for you
cannot be lost.

Sleep now, little man—
you’re the man.

With all our love,
Momma and Pappa.

By Paul Baldry

A few days ago, we said goodbye to Gabriel—our gentle companion, our constant presence, our friend. His absence is deeply felt in the quiet corners of our home and in the moments he once filled so effortlessly. This poem is a tribute to the love he shared so freely, the laughter he brought into our lives, and the bond he gave to our whole family—one that time will never take away.