More Poems

[Guest guest]

Here are two poems that I have retained from years ago. One was used

when several Animal Rights/Welfare groups worked together to end

Pound Seizure from the Dallas shelters. The other was included in a

resource list from an old rescue group called Help for Helpless

Animals.

 

RAGS

We called him " Rags. " He was just a cur,

But twice, on the Western Line,

That little old bunch of faithful fur

Had offered his life for mine.

 

And all that he got was bones and bread,

Or the leavings of soldier grub,

But he'd give his heart for a pat on the head,

Or a friendly tickle and rub.

 

And Rags got home with the regiment,

And then, in the breaking away,

Well whether they stole him,

Or whether he went,

I am not prepared to say.

 

But we mustered out, some to beer and gruel,

And some to sherry and shad,

And I went back to the Sawbones School,

Where I still was an undergrad.

 

One day they took us budding MDs

To one of those institutes

Where they demonstrate every new disease,

By means of dissected brutes.

 

They had one animal tacked and tied

And slit like a full-dressed fish,

With his vitals pumping away inside

As pleasant as one might wish.

 

I stopped to look, like the rest, of course,

And the beast's eyes leveled mine;

His short tail thumped with a feeble force,

And he uttered a tender whine.

 

It was Rags, yes Rags! Who was martyred there,

Who was quartered and crucified,

And he whined that whine which is doggish prayer

And he licked my hand…and died.

 

And I was no better in part nor whole

Than the gang I was found among.

And his innocent blood was on the soul

Which he blessed with his dying tongue.

 

Well! I've seen men go to courageous death

In the air, on sea, on land!

But only a dog would spend his breath

In a kiss for his murderer's hand.

 

And if there's no heaven for love like that,

For such four-legged fealty – well!

If I have any choice, I tell you flat,

I'll take my chance in hell.

 

 

Edmund Vance Cooke

 

Alone, Again

 

I wish someone could tell me what it is

that I've done wrong.

Why I have to stay chained up and

left alone so long.

They seemed so glad to have me when

I came here as a pup.

There were so many things we'd do

while I was growing up.

They couldn't wait to train me as a

companion and a friend.

And told me how I'd never fear

being left alone again.

The children said they'd feed me and

brush me every day.

They'd play with me and walk me

if I could only stay.

But now the family " hasn't time " ,

they often say I shed.

They do not want me in the house,

not even to be fed.

The children never walk me,

they always say " not now " .

I wish that I could please them

won't someone tell me how?

All I had, you see, was love, so

I wish they would explain

Why they said they wanted me,

then left me on a chain.