The Ashley Stories By Louise Hart Ashley was Ashley and that was that Although Ashley could be a most Finicky cat! From the tip of his pointed furry ears To the curled up plume tail he swished in the air. Whenever he was in one of his finicky moods, The first thing he did was to refuse all cat food. Ashley would bury his dish and all it contained; Ashley would bury his food and stomp on it until nothing remained! Then Ashley would sit and let out a great big "meow", Demanding to be brought more eatable chow. Not that just any kind of food would do, For the ones Ashley liked were not many, but few. Ashley would not eat eggs, and liver was definitely out, As were soups, beans, stews and even trout. To each of these, Ashley would turn up his nose, Stand up, turn around, stretch out his toes, Then sit down and let out an even louder meow, Demanding to be brought something he liked NOW. Hamburger, pizza or spaghetti would do. Cheese and fish that were fresh, he would accept too. For Ashley was not just any cat, Ashley was Ashley and that was that! Ashley's friend, Jimmy, a likeable chap, Would pick up Ashley to pat on his lap. "Ashley, you mustn't be fussy this way," Jimmy would whisper; Jimmy would say, While stroking Ashley in a very loving way, As upon Jimmy's lap, Ashley did lay Swishing his tail but not purring in his usual way. Jimmy would continue, to Ashley, he would say "Mom buys you only the best of cat food, By refusing to eat it, you are being very rude. It has all of the vitamins, minerals and protein To keep you healthy, to give your coat sheen. So, please won't you go dig up your food And stop being in such a finicky mood?" Author LOUISE HART Poet, author and photojournalist, Louise Hart has been both writing and working with children since before she was five years of age. At thirteen years of age, the first of her poems was accepted for publication. Upon reading one of her nature poems, the publisher of one of the most prestigious imagistic poetry journals in the United States dubbed Louise Hart, the new Emily Dickinson. A native of Robert Frost's hometown, Lawrence, Massachusetts, she would have over 250 of her imagistic, metaphysical poems published in journals, anthologies and general publications before the first of her collected works was published in 2000. By 2001, no less than six collections of her works, including Tales of a City Maid, Mill Girls and Their Daughters, Prayers for the Temple Within, The Illustrated Book of Trees I, The Illustrated Book of Trees II, and On the Death of Love and other poems have been published. She is working on a seventh. Along with this growing collection of poetry, Hart's published works include books of verse, non-fiction, fiction, essays, humor and cookbooks. All of her works reflect her urban, multicultural background, work with children, in education, community service, business and journalism. Hart's work on behalf of children and the community has been recognized by Harvard University with the award to her of the Derek Bok Prize for Outstanding Leadership in Community Service, by the American Association of University Women by their naming her to their state honor roll for Outstanding Leadership in Community Service, by the Republican National Hispanic Assembly (Essex Chapter) with a special award for outstanding service to the Hispanic community and by the Greater Lawrence Office for Children which presented her with a special award for her outstanding service to children. Hart's record of advocacy on behalf of children with special needs (Chapter 766) was also included in the Massachusetts state archives. In Mill Girls, Hart details the lives and character of five generations of Lowell Mill girls. The collection, she notes, started with a family portrait that was published in the Lowell Sun just weeks before the matriarch of the family died. Hart wrote the books, she says, because she hoped that young people and others would learn from the lives of these extraordinary women. A trained educator, Hart wrote The Ashley Stories to fill a need for a feline character that was recognizably true to its breed and for "fun" literature which address issues of individual differences, sibling rivalry, non-violent, creative problem solving, disabilities, family and individual values and relationships. Hart thus created Ashley, the Persian cat. Ashley is an easily recognizable feline that is not just any cat. Ashley is Ashley and that is that. That couplet not only links the verse in the tales, but also, becomes a fun unforgettable mantra for young readers and listeners. A graduate of Boston University, the University of Massachusetts and Harvard, Hart completed the Institute in Economic and Urban Development Management at Tufts University in Medford, MA and attended law school. She now resides in Andover, Massachusetts.