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      Hi, guys -- 
      As promised, here is my poem, 
      "Velvet."  It's about the cat who wandered into our back yard one day 
      when I was about 7 years old.  I asked my mom if I could keep him.  
      She said, "Ask your Dad."  I did.  He said, "Ask your Mom." 
       
      They talked 
      to each other that night, and said it would be OK if the little pussycat 
      stayed with us.  He had a clump of dirt in his fur, no collar or name 
      tag, and didn't seem to belong to anyone.  We did put up signs, but 
      no one called.  So he became my first cat. 
      He turned 
      out to be one of the best cats ever.  He had the softest fur, and 
      that's how he got the name.  His fur really did feel as soft as 
      velvet.   
      My brother 
      was a real baby then.  Whenever Velvet came near him, he would hit 
      the poor pussycat.  Velvet seemed to know that he was just a kid and 
      didn't mean to hurt him.  He would just wait for a chance, and slip 
      out of my brother's reach. 
      Velvet was 
      very brave.  When dogs came around, he chased them away.  It was 
      clearly his house!   
      Well, here's that poem.  
      I hope you like it. 
       
		
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