By Alexis Ciccone -
[email protected]
A certain small dog
Who wandered alone,
Each day roamed the streets,
In search of a home.
Nobody loved her,
Or gave her a name,
Still, she walked with a bark,
And a bounce, just the same.
As days turned to months,
She remained on her own,
She begged from kind strangers,
For a biscuit or bone.
She slept in the alleys,
And under the trees,
She rolled in the grass,
And strolled where she pleased.
She journeyed through towns,
Traveling mile after mile,
She climbed every hill,
With a bark and a smile.
As months turned to years,
The dog became older,
The nights became darker,
And winter's - much colder.
When she now walked on lawns,
Cruel owners would scold her,
And all the dog longed for,
Was for someone to hold her.
Weary and woeful,
And hopeless with fear,
Her bounce and her bark,
And her smile disappeared.
She limped down the street,
Lost in dense fog,
When a little boy passing,
Noticed the dog.
He took the dog home,
And fed her and bathed her,
He thought to himself,
"I'm happy I saved her!"
The dog shook her fur out
And beamed at the boy.
And she barked and bounced,
And she smiled with pure joy.
"Why don't we keep her?"
His mother suggested,
"This mutt seems much better,
Since she's eaten and rested."
"But I want a puppy!
A dog who is young!
I want her to play,
And to jump and have fun!"
"When a dog is this old,
She can't learn new tricks,
She's too slow to roll over,
Or play frisbee or sticks!"
"She bumps into walls,
She needs glasses to see,
When she sits up, she falls,
Hey - Let's call her - Bump...y!"
"Bumpy could live here,"
The little boy said,
"But I think I will taker her,
To the shelter instead."
"Dogs like it there,
I have been told,
And someone may want,
A dog who is old."
His mom disagreed
"You don't toss away,
A pet just because,
She's too frail to play."
"But Bumpy's so deaf,
She can't hear me speak,
She won't move when I call her,
Her legs are too weak."
These words Bumpy heard,
Made her tremble inside,
She had no strength to run,
And no place to hide.
Her heart became heavy,
And though frozen with fright,
She nudged the door open,
And stepped into the night.
Nobody loved her,
Not even the child.
And never again,
Would she bark with a smile.
She lay on the sideway,
Saddened and scared,
When an elderly man,
Spotted her there.
"Look at you doggie,"
The man softly spoke,
"You're shivering from cold,
And this rain's got you soaked."
"Why the glum face,
You grizzled old girl,
You act like you've not,
A friend in this world."
"You're a sight for sore eyes,
And as old as the hills,
But then, so am I,
And I'm happy still."
"My name is Pop-Pop,
And to tell you the truth,
My teeth are just fine,
'Cept I'm long in the tooth!"
He tossed baby Bumpy,
Like a ball in the air,
He caught her and claimed,
"We'll make quite a pair!"
He kissed her and plopped her,
On top of his shoulder,
"I'll teach you a lesson,
About getting older."
"Each year, we grow wiser,
Be proud, feel no shame!
Though weaker, and slower,
We're still in the game!"
"Spring follows winter,
In autumn things die,
But like magic, in time,
summer stars fill the sky."
"My sweet little lady,
You have beauty and style,"
Bumpy gazed at Pop-Pop,
and agreed with a smile.
"You and I are good friends,
Now, lets go have some fun,
And visit the home,
of my favorite grandson!"
"You'll be happy to meet him!"
Pop-Pop scratched Bumpy's ear,
He kissed and assured her,
She had nothing to fear.
As they walked on their way,
The clouds disappeared,
Pop-Pop set Bumpy down,
And announced, "We are here!"
From the porch of the house,
A boy's shadow appeared,
As he ran towards the dog,
His eyes filled with tears.
"I recognize her!"
He sang happily,
"You've brought my dog home!
You've found Baby Bump-y!"
"I wanted a puppy,
But I was so wrong,
I cried every night,
When I found you were gone!"
"The two things I love,
The most in this world,
Are you and my Pop-Pop,
You silly old girl!"
Then off walked the three,
Down the road single file,
And Bumpy walked with a bounce,
And a bark and a smile.
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