Posted by Today is National Pet Day! Did you know 41% of UK households own at least one pet? And last year since the start of the pandemic 3.2 million British households acquired a new pet? The mind boggles! If you remember from my post on World Poetry Day I quite like writing poetry so below I’ve compiled an anthology of poems about some pets – mostly pets belonging to friends who have allowed their beloved fur babies to be featured. Hope you enjoy them!
Haiku: Sabrina
Jet black coat rippling, Purring like a car engine, Tail twitching softly.
Sabrina’s Sonnet
One minute curled up tight as a ball, Dreaming away in a deep sleep, Completely oblivious to sounds, smells and all, You can go hours without a single peep. Next minute eyes blinking open, Jaws wide stretching to wake up, Paws kneading just a smidgeon, Tail flickers like a curious pup. In a split second down off her perch, All senses on overdrive, Off she trots on the search, Until at the kitchen she arrives. There she finds only a half empty bowl, Barely a few mouthfuls left of the sole.
Hachi’s Haiku
Basking in the sun, Warming his cream and tan coat, No care in the world.
Ode to Hachi
Oh Hachiko the dog who defined loyalty, Was practically considered canine royalty. From his legacy as "Mr Eight" in Japanese, Came the cat named Hachi, the breed of Siamese. In his castle he is undoubtedly the king, To be let in and out and fed he is always waiting. With a short and smooth coat that's silky to touch, It's ever so therapeutic and calming and such. A body of beige with a face and legs of dark brown hue, Contrasted with wide eyes of piercing azure blue. A truly fine feline specimen to see, Is the striking Siamese that is Hachi.
Jack the Lad
Boisterous Jack is abound with energy,
Rarely do you get a quiet minute on your own.
He is a loyal follower to a fault,
Literally like a dog with a bone.
He can bark and bay all night and day,
If he doesn't get enough attention.
When mummy's gone he'll sit by the window,
Waiting for her return with keen anticipation.
He loves to go swimming and play football,
He's a true sporty canine athlete.
And will be taken on walks that last hours on end,
'Til he needs to lay down and rest his feet.
In addition, he's won awards for flyball,
He'll wear his ribbons with pride and look jolly.
He may not be much of a sheepdog,
But he sure is a unique Border Collie.
If there's one thing Jack hates it's mummy's cornet,
He doesn't seem to appreciate jazz.
He may be a funny, fussy old dog,
But a great personality is what Jack the Lad has.
Koda: The Ballad of Mummy’s Shoe!
A sight to behold is Koda the German Shepherd,
A big, black wolf-like creature.
He had a penchant for animal prints like a leopard,
And on a pair of mummy's shoes they did feature.
One day he had an overwhelming urge to chew,
So when mummy wasn't looking he went on the hunt.
In the closet did he find her best pair of shoes,
And began to carry out his little stunt.
Long, sharp, bone-crunching canines at the ready,
He sliced away at the poor kitten heels.
It was more satisfying than her favourite teddy,
Or his toys that were too squishy and squealed.
Bit by bit the fabric fell off and they fell apart,
Even though he didn't care much for the taste.
Without thinking about the attack on his mummy's heart,
In several minutes they were ruined post haste.
Too engrossed in what he was doing,
He didn't hear mummy enter the room.
Then suddenly he stopped chewing,
When her voice did scream and boom.
"Look at what you've done to mummy's shoe!" mummy cried,
"NAUGHTY BOY!" she angrily scolded.
There was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide,
As before her eyes the damage unfolded.
Normally an intimidating, larger than average dog,
And supposedly a good, obedient boy,
Koda suddenly felt smaller than a frog,
As he pretended to be innocent and coy.
But his eyes were clearly filled with guilt,
As mummy towered over him.
He tried to do his adorable "I didn't do it" head tilt,
But the chances of winning her over were slimmer than slim.
Mummy was so enraged she needed to vent,
So into the other room she went.
Koda lay down with his head in his paws,
As he had time to think of the anguish he'd caused.
And once she'd calmed down she went to see her son,
But it took longer to fully forgive him for what he'd done.
She tearfully threw away her shoes all broken in half,
But she put the video on Facebook so others could have a good laugh.
The epic tale of Koda, Jack and the human arm
Whilst out one foggy afternoon, Koda and Jack went for a hike, Up the hills and through the woods, This is the kind of exercise they liked. Their eyes were wide with excitement, Their ears pricked for sounds of birds, Their nostrils flared for any new smells, When suddenly all their senses picked up some undergrowth that stirred. Further in the distance was a big pile of leaves, Surrounding some bushes and shrubs, When suddenly out from under it, Emerged a little red fox cub. The two dogs bounded over, They'd never seen a fox this close before, But the little fella fled so quickly, That within seconds he could be seen no more. But as they got closer their noses twitched, They'd never come across this smell in Entwistle, They suddenly stopped and realised the fox must have found something, And it made their fur bristle. "What is that stink?" Jack asked Koda, "Let's check it out!" Koda cried, "It's worse than your farts!" Jack sniggered, "Oi watch it, pipsqueak!" Koda growled in reply. The stench was like that of rotting flesh, With a hint of dried human blood, Surrounded in the smell of wet foliage, As well as filthy mud. They pawed away at the pile of leaves, Kicking up dirt as they did, Until all of a sudden they stopped, And found what under it was hid. "Oh my god, it's a human arm!" squealed Jack in shock, "What the hell is this doing here?" Koda yelped, "Where's the rest of the body?" Jack wondered aloud, While Koda insisted they bark for their mummies to come and help. This would no doubt cause a lot of buzz, As it was a distressing but intriguing find, "Two nosy detective dogs find human arm", Would surely be the breaking news headline? The arm was missing a hand and went up to the elbow, And it looked like the fox had even tried to chew a bit, The boys were both fed raw diets, But even they wouldn't dare to try it. While their mummies caught up to them, They tried to sniff out anymore body parts around there, They picked up faint days old smells of blood and skin, But unfortunately found nothing anywhere. "This is all very weird," Jack said shakily, "Hmm, I wonder what happened," Koda mused, They didn't know what to do or think, They were both just so shocked and confused. Of all the adventures the boys have had, This was by far the most weird, And in the end the arm was identified, As belonging to a poor woman who'd disappeared. But the boys were praised for their part, In finding the last piece of this murder mystery, And because of their surprising unearthing, They now have a place in Entwistle history.
A poem for Pepper
Old Sergeant Pepper, a veteran degu,
Happy to laze in his cage and huddle,
But still a little sweetheart at heart,
He'll scamper at the chance of a cuddle.
Taking life slow and steady in his golden years,
Except when the whiff of a treat appears,
He'll run and stumble as fast as he can,
Just for a nibble of what's in your hand.
Often found wallowing in his sand bath,
Wanting to keep his coat smooth and neat,
And when the sunshine beams in through his cage,
He'll puff up his fur and soak in the heat,
A bit of a grump now and half-blind,
He certainly is a one of a kind,
But just a handful of treats and a tickle under his chin,
Brings out the scampering softie within.
The Tale of Cashew and Pecan
Move over Chip 'n' Dale, There's two new cheeky rodents in town. Their names are Cashew and Pecan, And this here is their tale. As their names suggest they are completely nuts, Nuts about hugs, nuts about kisses, Nuts about nuts, And even nuts about sniffing each other's butts. The two little chaps are always moving about, Whether in their cage, Or around the sofa, Especially if there's hidden treats to sniff out. Pecan is Pepper's toy boy friend, And will gladly curl up tight with him, Cashew may keep his distance, But a ménage à trois snuggle may just happen in the end.
Colin
Oh sweet little Colin, With your short stumpy legs and elongated bod, What an adorable pup you are, Even if your proportions are a tad odd. Dressed in your favourite red jumper, The one patterned with white hearts, Is fitting because you're so full of love, And in it your cuteness is off the charts. You love going on walks despite your little legs, And your face is a picture of pure joy, You're not phased by the passersby staring, Who stare at me walking my cuddly sausage dog toy.
© Choon Young Tan/陈俊扬, 2021
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