I´m just an old used greyhound dressed in bone & skinny skin,

With only one good eye, I´m mottled, with a limp & very thin,

I lost my other good eye while out hunting, & running I was shot,

By mistake, it was told by my cruel owner, the hard old Mr. Scott,

I´d been with him & beaten daily since he´d bought me as a pup,

Beaten, starved, tormented, tethered, & in cold dawns woken up,

To go hunting rabbits, deer, possums & anything else that moved,

Scott relied on my nose & speed to find anything furred & hooved.

The daunting day came when I was too old, too slow & far too tired,

Old Scott brought in another poor new pup & had me now retired,

Rather than feed me, he decided to string me up on the old oak tree,

As he was tying his evil knot, an angel called Fran appeared before me,

Gentle Frannie, ranting & raving at Mr. Scott for being a cruel old man,

Taking the rope she led me away from death by her gentle loving hand,

She lulled my soul with loving words & bathed my sore battle-scarred face,

And for the first time in my sorry life, I lay down by the warm soft fireplace.

I´ve been fattened up by Fannie´s specially made & fine home cooked food,

And unlike Mr. Scott, she never shouts & beats & is always in a good mood,

For the first time in my life I´m now cosseted with love & truly warm & snug,

Covered up at night by Frannie´s coloured hand knitted, soft warm cosy rug,

As I lie before the warm flame licking fire, I dream of freedom far & deep,

Of lost forest mists & of unsuspecting prey, deep within their restless sleep

Aah, the freedom of the hunt, the chase & on passing, the forest scented tree,

But I’d never change it now for all the tender love that Old Frannie has for me.

© Sue Lobo

Excerpt from the book “Wild Whisperings”

$15.95 Plus Shipping ~ Available at CTU Publishing Group and Amazon.com

About the Author

Sue Lobo is the author of three books of her experiences in Africa, a poetry book “Africa My Africa” which is poetry reflecting African life in the terrible apartheid era in South Africa & “Lollipops of Dust”, her autobiography, of a child´s view of living in colonial Africa, in the Kalahari desert, with all the magic of what the old Africa had to offer. Her last book “The Last Dance” was published by Creative Talents Unleashed. She has also participated in eleven poetry anthologies with other very talented poets & has won a couple poetry competitions in Gibraltar & Spain. On occasions she has written requested epitaphs and elegies for families of departed souls. She is married to a Spaniard, with two grown up sons & presently lives in Spain. The sale of this latest collection of animal themed poetry called “Wild Whisperings” published by Creative Talents Unleashed will go entirely to Save The Rhino Fund.

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