The Gift

‘Twas the night before Christmas at the SPCA,
no one was stirring or wanting to play.

We were all just sitting there biding our time;
the Bassett Hound in with me was just about blind.

I tried to help the old guy as much as I could,
hoping that Santa knew that I had been good.

The only thing I wanted for Christmas this year was a nice,
warm home with plenty of cheer.

See the owner I had somehow lost his job,
and our new landlord was kind of a snob.

He told my owner, I don't allow pets,
so I ended up here, where it's cold, dark and wet.

My first night in here was the worst you see,
all the other dogs were snarling at me.

Then they put me in here with Jake; he's my friend.
He is very old, he said he was ten!

He told me all about the man that wears black.
He takes pets outside, but they never come back.

It scares me so much when I see him walk by.
We all go to the back of our cages and hide.

I think about my owner a lot. I miss him so much.
The sound of his voice, his most gentle touch.

A home for Christmas would be a dream come true.
And since I'm wishing big, how about a home for Jake too!

I heard people talking about a tree down at the mall,
that had pictures of us on it, and a number they could call.

I hope somebody wants me. I would be such a good pet.
And I got all my shots last month down at the vet.

It's starting to get dark outside, it's just about that time,
when they fill up all our water bowls and hang up the CLOSED sign.

I guess my wish isn't happening. It was too good to be true.
Wait, what’s that sound I hear? Jake said he hears it too!

I hear people talking. Could they be coming after me?
After all I looked really handsome, in that picture on the adoption tree!

Look Jake, the door is opening, many people are here.
Hopefully to take us to a new home, with lots of Christmas cheer.

It’s true, we are all getting new homes, the greatest gift of all.
I hope they have some Frisbees and lots of tennis balls.

Everyone had their minds made up, on which dog they would take.
We all got picked and taken outside. Everyone but Jake.

This just can't be happening. I can’t leave him all alone.
He always took good care of me, even shared his Milk bones.

Then a Christmas miracle happened, right before my eyes.
Jake’s Christmas wish was granted, under the starry sky.

Santa Claus showed up that night, but he wasn't in a sleigh.
He came to adopt my friend that night, in a beat-up Chevrolet!

Jake didn't care what he was driving. He was happy as could be,
to think that someone would still want him, even though he couldn't see!

That’s how the story ended. See wishes do come true.
So, make sure you're being nice this year, cause Santa Claus is watching you!

(Jerry Wayne Baldwin; from “This K-9 of Mine”)

*****

I would like to thank Jerry Wayne Baldwin for his kind permission to publish his poems on my blog.

The book “This K-9 of Mine: Poetic short stories from a dog's point of view, plus a few from the owner's vantage point, too.” is available as Kindle version here.