Anyone who knew me in high school.. about 45 years ago and well before my college and grad school days would fall off their chair if asked the possibility that I would post a poem on my site.
I never could understand why poems even existed.. if you have something to say, just say it I would groan.. Can all the flowery linguistic machinations… it would drive me nuts 🙂
If you are a poet or love poems, please don’t email me and send me a lecture… in today’s issue I will actually ENDORSE a poem because the message is so powerful that I wish every dog family who ever considers dropping their pal off at the pound would read and memorize and tape to their refrigerator door. BEFORE they make this awful mistake.
It is a reprint from a newsletter and I think you will agree that THIS poem has wallop after you read it–
Here it is…..
“Do I Go Home Today?
By Sandi Thompson ~
My family brought me home
cradled in their arms.
They cuddled me and smiled at me,
and said I was full of charm.
They played with me and laughed with me,
they showered me with toys.
I sure do love my family
especially the girls and boys.
The children loved to feed me,
they gave me special treats.
They even let me sleep with them
all snuggled in the sheets.
I used to go for walks,
often several times a day.
They even fought to hold my leash,
I’m very proud to say.
These are things I’ll never forget
a cherished memory.
I now live in a shelter
without my family.
They used to laugh and praise me
when I played with that old shoe.
But I didn’t know the difference
between the old ones and the new.
The kids and I would grab a rag
for hours we would tug.
So I thought I did the right thing
when I chewed the bathroom rug.
They said that I was out of control,
and would have to live outside.
This I did not understand
although I tried and tried.
The walks stopped, one by one;
they said they hadn’t time.
I wish that I could change things,
I wish I knew my crime.
My life became so lonely,
in the back yard on a chain.
I barked and barked all day long
to keep from going insane.
So they brought me to the shelter
but were embarrassed to say why.
They said I caused an allergy,
and then, kissed me goodbye.
If I’d only had some classes,
as a little pup
I wouldn’t have been so hard to handle
when I was all grown up.
“You only have one day left,”
I heard the worker say.
Does this mean a second chance?
Do I go home today?”
END from TruthaboutPetFood.com
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Adopting a dog is one of the most profound and beautiful experiences that you will ever experience.. no matter where in the world you live.
It is a commitment to protect, love and cherish one of God’s creatures for a lifetime.. it is not a hobby to be discarded when you are tired of caring for the pup.
How many of us would have been dropped off at orphanages if our parents/guardians decided to dispose of us when we acted up a bit or they became bored with parenting? And imagine if that orphanage might execute us and dump our corpse in the trash if they were short of room?
And send anyone you know to there who thinks that discarding their dog at the pound is a good way to re-home their buddy if they know that many are immediately sent to a kill room and disposed of?
Ask them what they think afterwards.
Hopefully they will wake up