Poetry Friday: For the Dog(s)

I dug this poem out of our beloved volume, A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children compiled by Ms. Caroline Kennedy. I bet you know why we read this one at the lunch table today:

The Song of the Mischievous Dog

by Dylan Thomas

There are many who say that a dog has its day, 

And a cat  has a number of lives;

There are others who think that a lobster is pink,

And that bees never work in their hives. 

There are fewer, of course, who insist that a horse

Has a horn and two humps on its head,

And a fellow who jests that a mare can build nests

Is as rare as a donkey that's red. 

Yet in spite of all this, I have moments of bliss,

For I cherish a passion for bones,

And though doubtful of biscuit, I'm willing to risk it,

And I love to chase rabbits and stones.

But my greatest delight is to take a good bite

At a calf that is plump and delicious;

And if I indulge in a bite at a bulge,

Let's hope you won't think me too vicious.

Note: Dylan Thomas, the premier Welsh poet, wrote this delightful bit of wry humor when he was only eleven years old! Ian, you've got six months. Better get going!

So, have you figured it out yet? In case you don't follow my every move on Facebook ...

... we got a puppy! 

It's all Pongo, all the time here at our household. Well, since last night. Is anything else happening in the world right now? Huh? I'm sorry, I just can't believe that could be. 

No word yet on whether Pongo will turn out to be  the mischievous  dog of young Master Thomas' ode. He does cherish a passion for bones already. Grassfed ones, from the cow we purchased. 

Other pertinent facts: 

1. I have never ever ever owned a dog  before, or anything else with four legs. 

2. Pongo is a mutt. He has some chowchow, some golden retriever, some collie, we think, and who-knows-what else. Mom was a stray, and he came from a rescue litter. 

3. Pongo's preferred Pandora station appears to be ragtime piano. 

4. As I suspect they would if I were ever to reproduce again in human spawn, the three kids are having power  issues over Pongo. Poor pup, he'll never figure out who's the alpha in this pack, because they can't settle that issue for themselves. 

5. Having  a puppy for the first night is much like having a newborn, but louder. Think getting up every hour and a half (hooray for the heroic Professor!) Actually, it's rougher than having a newborn because you can't just pop the pup into bed with you to cuddle and nurse. 

6. Pongo has white "socks" that are still white after a day in  our family, which is more than can be said for anyone else in this house. 

7. We wuv him.