“Freezing dawn; you leave. I now sleep in the warm spot. All as it should be.” –from Catku

Cats share our homes, our lives, and the sunny spot in our favorite chair. We may like to think we own them, but in reality, they have the upper hand, uh, paw. Alternately maddeningly aloof and irresistibly affectionate, mysterious yet familiar, they always keep us guessing about their inner motives and thoughts. And just how might a cat express its innermost thoughts? Undoubtedly in haiku, the ancient 17-syllable form of poetry from China and Japan.

With clever illustrations in the style of traditional Japanese woodcuts, more than 100 witty “catku” are collected into chapters such as “The Way of the Hunter,” “Mind/Body/Spirit,” “The Path to Enlightenment,” and “The Physical World.” Each one illuminates the Zen-like nature of the cat.

The prudence of the hunter:
“Stealthy and silent,
I stalk birds–but listen for
The can opener.”

The vagaries of the physical world:
“Seeking solitude
I am locked in the closet.
For once I need you.”

Catku will delight cat lovers who will recognize the feline attitude reflected in these verses and perhaps realize that the so-called lazy cat perched on the back of a favorite chair is really just in deep meditation, seeking the path to enlightenment while composing a few more catku.