"donatello," by w. venable

DONATELLO.
Who will capture Donatello?
Roving cat!
Fierce, ungovernable fellow;
Musical as Leporello, —
Sharp and flat!
Terrible in a duello.

Ragamuffin, have you met a
Felis fat?
Ancestored in gay Valetta,
Where brown dames in black faldetta,
Walk and chat —
Hot his blood as flame of Aetna.

Beautiful, romantic, splendid
Autocrat!
To the forest, unattended,
Daring Donatello wended:
Owl and bat,
Weasel, mole, and mink, he rended.

Savage wildwood his unbounded
Habitat:
By no man or mastiff hounded,
By the midnight mirk surrounded—
Think of that!
Oft his caterwaul he sounded.

Freedom to the gallant fellow.
Exeat!
Victor in each fierce duello,
Midnight, madcap Leporello!
Roving cat!
Graceless, graceful Donatello!

(Exeat = Latin, "he may go out.") Venable, W. Henry. (1904). Saga of the oak, and other poems. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company. 129-30.