Animal Poems and Stories ~ Pawprints and Purrs, Inc.

As I grow older with each passing year, I continue to find great joy in animal poems and stories. There's something that reaches deep inside and touches my soul when I read of animals, even when the prose is written in "human terms" - animals speaking, animals making right and wrong decisions in their lives. After all, who are we to say that they don't or can't communicate with each other in their own language. Most of us pet owners will voice strong opinions on this statement, for we know we can talk to our pets in human speech and that they do understand; we, in turn, understand them. We know their happiness, their sadness, their pain, their grief. They sense our moods - offering comfort when we are down, frolics when we are cheerful. Therefore, I hope all who comes across this page will enjoy the poems and stories I've collected here as much as I do.

For the love of animals, Susie Bachman, President

An aside: Christmas is my very favorite holiday of all. It's amazing how many truly inspirational stories there are concerning the Christmas season which revolves around pets and other animals. There are many I dearly love, but one of my very favorite is the following:

The 'Little Ole' Donkey That Had Little Too Say
It was the night before Christmas when all the beasts came together from the farthest places of the earth to talk. The first voice to be heard was the deep, rich bass of the lion. "I speak," he said, "as the king of beasts." And truly he looked a king with his beautiful thick mane and his tawny rippling muscles. "I won't repeat my good deeds. I shall not again tonight repeat the shining stories of the days when the Romans loved me. I shall not recall the story of the one man, Daniel, who defied me in my own den - a story humbling to me - which I have often told you to prove I am not proud. I shall say nothing of my stealthy fury that makes the whole continent tremble at the very sound of my name..."

"Then I shall speak," - and by the trumpet sound, the beasts knew the elephant spoke. "I am the biggest beast on earth. My size and my strength awe nations. Yet I can walk so softly and lightly that no ear can hear my coming. Isn't that something to be proud of? And I don't believe any of you can flip a tremendous teak log over your shoulder as handily as I can. That takes power. Yes, and who else here has been a beast of war? Who else has crossed the Alps? You know how very high the Alps are! I and my strong brothers helped the famous General Hannibal and his soldiers over them in one of his great campaigns. And Hannibal's in history books all over the world..."

A strange, whispering voice broke in: "You know me, the giraffe. Usually I stay silent, but I hope you'll remember I'm the tallest and can look down on you. But please don't think I am bragging because I'm up here above you. I eat from the tops of trees. Nobody else here can do that. Besides, being the tallest, I can run faster than most..."

"Let me interrupt." It was the leopard's voice. "You'd have to move pretty fast to outrun certain striped and spotted cousins of mine who hold most of the speed records. Right, cousins?" The tiger nodded his head and the cheetah, fastest of all, smiled.

The camel, till now, had been chewing his cud and watching with sad eyes. He cleared his throat and his voice rasped out: "I am neither handsome nor fleet. I have some trouble keeping clean. But I have the right to feel as proud as anyone here. I helped build the pyramids of Egypt! Have any of you ever tackled a job that big? I am also the only animal in the world that can have two humps on his back. I am used to going many days without water, across scorching sands that would burn the feet off most of you within hours. My friends, the camel counts, and I have a right to feel happy."

For a long while after the camel's speech, there was silence. Then the llama coughed and said: "I am by nature modest. One thing, however - I have had much experience crossing mountains. You have heard of the Andes, my home, and the war work I've done."

Others spoke too. The goose honked, "I laid a golden egg once. Who else has done that?" The turtle said, "I'm the slowest. It's better. When you go fast, you go round in circles." The fox said: "I am the slyest, the trickiest, and probably the brainiest of you all." The zebra said: "For confusion, I'm best. Am I black with white stripes or white with black?" The grizzly bear said: "Who that is as heavy as I can climb a tree as well?" And the polar bear said: "Can anybody but me swim with icebergs or catch fish with a paw?"

All this time a little grey beast stood listening. Finally, the other animals looked his way. There wasn't much he could do but speak. "I am a donkey," he began, in a voice so hoarse and low that the beasts leaned forward to hear. "I can't run fast or go days without water. I couldn't swim a stroke among icebergs. I've never climbed a tree. Nobody is afraid of me."

Lower and lower sank the little donkey's voice. His ears drooped, and his head was bowed. The other beasts could hardly hear him. Suddenly he raised his head. His eyes looked far away in time and space and there was a strange glow around him. "Only one thing I have ever done has stuck in my mind. It happened a long, long time ago...on the way to Egypt in the dark of night, I carried a mother who carried a King."

~ C. Ralph Bennett ~

Remember
I don't remember much from the place I was born. It was cramped and dark, and we were never played with by the humans. I remember Mom and her soft fur, but she was often sick, and very thin. She had hardly any milk for me and my brothers and sisters. I remember many of them dying, and I missed them so.

I do remember the day I was taken from Mom. I was so sad and scared, my milk teeth had only just come in, and I really should have been with Mom still but she was so sick, and the humans kept saying that they wanted money and were sick of the "mess" that me and my sister made. So we were crated up and taken to a strange place. Just the two of us. We huddled together and were scared, still no human hands came to pet or love us.

So many sights and sounds, and smells! We are in a store where there are many different animals! Some that squawk! some that meow! Some that Peep! My sister and I are jammed into a small cage, I hear other puppies here. I see humans look at me, I like the 'little humans', the kids. They look so sweet and fun, like they would play with me! All day we stay in the small cage, sometimes mean people will hit the glass and frighten us, every once in a while we are taken out to be held or shown to humans. Some are gentle, some hurt us, we always hear "Aw, they are so cute! I want one!" but we never get to go with any.

My sister died last night, when the store was dark. I lay my head on her soft fur and felt the life leave her small thin body. I had heard them say she was sick, and that I should be sold at a "discount price" so that I would quickly leave the store. I think my soft whine was the only one that mourned for her as her body was taken out of the cage in the morning and dumped.

Today a family came and bought me! Oh happy day! They are a nice family, they really, really wanted me! They had bought a dish and food and the little girl held me so tenderly in her arms. I love her so much! The mom and dad say what a sweet and good puppy I am! I am named Angel. I love to lick my new humans!

The family takes such good care of me, they are loving and tender and sweet. They gently teach me right and give me good food, and lots of love! I want only to please these wonderful people! I love the little girl and I enjoy running and playing with her.

Today I went to the veterinarian. it was a strange place and I was frightened. I got some shots, but my best friend the little girl held me softly and said it would be OK. So I relaxed. The Vet must have said sad words to my beloved family, because they looked awfully sad. I heard severe hip dysplasia, and something about my heart... I heard the vet say something about back yard breeders and my parents not being tested. I know not what any of that means, just that it hurts me to see my family so sad. But they still love me, and I still love them very much!

I am 6 months old now. Where most other puppies are robust and rowdy, it hurts me terribly just to move. The pain never lets up. It hurts to run and play with my beloved little girl, and I find it hard to breathe. I keep trying my best to be the strong pup I know I am supposed to be, but it is so hard. It breaks my heart to see the little girl so sad, and to hear the Mom and Dad talk about "It might now be the time." Several times I have gone to that veterinarian's place, and the news is never good. Always talk about congenital problems. I just want to feel the warm sunshine and run, and play and nuzzle with my family.

Last night was the worst, pain has been my constant companion now, it hurts even to get up and get a drink. I try to get up but can only whine in pain. I am taken in the car one last time. Everyone is so sad, and I don't know why. Have I been bad? I try to be good and loving, what have I done wrong? Oh if only this pain would be gone! If only I could soothe the tears of the little girl. I reach out my muzzle to lick her hand, but can only whine in pain.

The veterinarian's table is so cold. I am so frightened. The humans all hug and love me, they cry into my soft fur. I can feel their love and sadness. I manage to lick softly their hands. Even the vet doesn't seem so scary today. He is gentle and I sense some kind of relief for my pain. The little girl holds me softly and I thank her, for giving me all her love. I feel a soft pinch in my foreleg. The pain is beginning to lift, I am beginning to feel a peace descend upon me. I can now softly lick her hand. My vision is becoming dreamlike now, and I see my Mother and my brothers and sisters, in a far off green place. They tell me there is no pain there, only peace and happiness. I tell the family, good-bye in the only way I know how, a soft wag of my tail and a nuzzle of my nose. I had hoped to spend many, many moons with them, but it was not meant to be. "You see," said the veterinarian, "Pet shop puppies do not come from ethical breeders." The pain ends now, and I know it will be many years until I see my beloved family again. If only things could have been different.

(This story may be published or reprinted in the hopes that it will stop unethical breeders and those who breed only for money and not for the betterment of the breed. Copyright 1999, Jim Willis)

The Power of the Dog

There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie -
Perfect passsion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart to a dog to tear.

When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet's unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find - it's your own affair -
But...you've given your heart to a dog to tear.

When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!)
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone - wherever it goes - for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.

We've sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we've kept 'em, the more do we grieve:
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-term loan is as bad as a long -
So why in - Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

~ Rudyard Kipling ~

In The Beginning There Was The Cat
On the seventh day, the Creator spirit took his rest, turning his mind to other projects such as the creation of a race of grey people with huge dark eyes in a distant star system. He had, however, created a group of caretaker managers, the Angels, to oversee the Earth while he was otherwise engaged, and during an annual audit one of these Angels, Bast, looked down at the Earth and felt that something was missing.

The dolphins were frolicking happily in the ocean and the various finned, feathered and furred life forms were busy begetting offspring. The insects and humbler creations were buzzing and chirping and squelching in their ecological niches. Plants were growing and seeding and the humans were busy inventing fire and the wheel. However, there seemed to be something indefinably amiss in paradise.

Then Bast noticed. The mice and rats, of course, blessed with outstanding reproductive capacities, were outstripping the predators' abilities to maintain balance in paradise.

"Brother Mongoose," called Bast, "I see that the rats and mice are going forth and multiplying and you and your begotten ones are having a hard time keeping up with them."

Brother Mongoose paused in his toils, dropping a dead mouse, "'Tis true," he admitted, "the wife is busy nursing our latest brood and it seems that Lucifer has touched the rats and mice so that they multiply quicker than we can count. They gnaw away at the humans' grain stores and carry with them disease and famine."

"I will see if I can arrange some help for you," replied Bast.

The Angel Bast put a draft proposal on the Creator spirit's desk, outlining plans for a new predator to help in the control of the rats and mice and of the rabbits who were beginning to display unnerving fecundity and were rapidly decimating the greenery. Two weeks later, her proposal was still in the Creator spirit's pending tray, along with Black Death, and Bast decided to take it upon herself to address the situation before it deteriorated further.

"Firstly," she mused, "the new predator must be equipped for its role: it must have sharp ears and eyes and a keen sense of smell for locating rats and mice and rabbits, it needs sharp teeth and claws for catching and dispatching them efficiently. But," she thought after a moment's consideration, "it is to be a friend to the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve so it must be pleasing to the eye. Fur, I think and a plumy tail. Tickly whiskers and a pleasing voice to win over mankind, since in return for protecting their granaries and gardens, it needs a place in their hearts and homes. It will be neither too small since it must control rabbits nor too large since it must fit onto mankind's laps. And since mankind needs some lightness and joy in life, its young will have paws too big for their short legs, round bellies with bury-your-nose-in-it fur, little flagpole tails, eyes the color of cornflowers and voices that chirp endearingly."

Bast set about creating the perfect creature to fulfill these criteria. Soon her efforts were rewarded and Cats graced the Garden, chasing butterflies and crickets, gambolling in the grass and keeping the rats and mice and rabbits under control to ensure the continuing harmony of the new world. The sons and daughters of Adam and Eve took Cats to their hearts and hearths, soothed by the purring, amused by their antics, delighting in caressing the miniature tiger in their midst and worshipping its enchanting habits and the fumble-footed exploits of tumbling kittens.

Some while later, the Creator spirit returned having created other worlds in the cosmos. He saw the Cats and noted that they were not on his original inventory or blueprint.

"Bast! What have you done? Who gave you leave to create a new creature?"

Contritely, Bast indicated the over-breeding creatures which Lucifer had touched and had caused to carry diseases injurious to the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. She explained that mankind was in danger of being eaten out of Garden and home and extolled the various virtues of catkind - its cleanliness, its hunting prowess, its pleasing appearance and its soothing voice.

Now the Creator spirit would not uncreate a creature, but he saw that mankind had raised Cat above all others, even to the point of worshipping it.

"Bast, I will indulge you, for you have created a creature which is both pleasing and useful. Henceforth catkind will be pleasing in aspect and voice and be useful in hunting...but...it will have an annoying habit of kneading mankind with its sharp claws and it will have another voice - the hiss of a snake. Cats will attract superstition so that mankind will not be overly fond of them and they will have a supercilious expression and be aloof and disdainful, though they may sometimes deign to keep company with the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve."

Thus the Creator spirit ensured that Cats were no more and no less than his own creations, although to this day there are many who hold the Cat above all others, for exactly the qualities Bast endowed it with.

~ Author Unknown ~

If It Should Be

If it should be that I grow weak
And pain should keep me from my sleep;
Then you must do what must be done,
For this last battle can't be won.

You will be sad, I understand;
But don't let grief then stay your hand.
For this day more than all the rest,
Your love for me must stand the test.

We've had so many happy years;
What is to come can hold no fears.
You don't want me to suffer so;
The time has come, please let me go.

Take me where my needs they'll tend,
But please stay with me 'til the end
To hold me close and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.

I know in time you will agree,
It was a kindness done for me.
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I'm saved.

Please do not grieve that it was you
Who had this painful thing to do.
We've been so close, we two, these years;
Don't let your heart hold any tears.

~ Author Unknown ~

On the Origin of Dogs and Cats...
It is reported that the following edition of the Book of Genesis was discovered in the Dead Seal Scrolls. If authentic, it would shed light on the question, "Where do pets come from?"

And Adam said, "Lord, when I was in the garden, you walked with me everyday. Now I do not see you anymore. I am lonesome here and it is difficult for me to remember how much you love me."

And God said, "No problem! I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will know I love you, even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish and childish and unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourself."

And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased.

And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and he wagged his tail. And Adam said, "But Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and all the good names are taken and I cannot think of a name for this new animal."

And God said, "No problem! Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG."

And Dog lived with Adam and was a companion to him and loved him. And Adam was comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail.

After a while, it came to pass that Adam's guardian angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam has become filled with pride. He struts and preens like a peacock and he believes he is worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught him that he is loved, but no one has taught him humility."

And the Lord said, "No problem! I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever and who will see him as he is. The companion will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not worthy of adoration."

And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam. And Cat would not obey Adam.

And when Adam gazed into Cat's eyes, he was reminded that he was not the supreme being. And Adam learned humility.

And God was pleased. And Adam was greatly improved.

And Cat did not care one way or the other.

~ Author Unknown ~

There Is A New Star Shining In The Sky Tonight ...
There is an old belief that the stars shining in the night sky are the spirits of those who have died. They have shed their earthly bodies and exchanged them for bodies made of light; thousands upon thousands of our dear departed friends all promoted to glory in the night sky.

There is another saying that the brightest flame burns the shortest. My friend, you were the brightest star in my own universe. While I burn on, my flame dimmed by grief and despair at your passing, the stars are watching me. They are too far away for me to touch, just as you have gone somewhere I cannot follow until my own star-time comes. They cannot be held close for comfort, just as I can no longer hold you close, though I held you close to comfort you in your final hours.

We were together for such a short time, but the stars will burn forever. One day I will grow tired of this earthbound body, my own star-time will come and my spirit will soar into the sky to burn with all those friends who have gone before me. On the inky cloth of space we will be reunited in constellations of joy. Until then, my flame burns low and dim and cold without you.

Through my tears I look upwards to see if you are watching me and what do I see?

There is a new star shining in the sky tonight.

~ Sarah S. Hartwell, Britain ~

Called To Give My All

I am a deputy in a canine crew.
I've been trained to see it through.
When danger's near my ears perk up,
They taught me that as a little pup.

I'm often there to protect your rights,
My presence sometimes hinders fights.
I never attack with thought to kill,
When subduing one, my job I fill.

I never worry a single thought,
As to how I'll fare at a certain spot.
The love I have for a handler's care,
Is all I need, each day to fare.
And if some day my luck turns bad,
I'll relish all the joys I've had.

To be with men who stand for good,
In a special kind of brotherhood.
The story's end by now you know,
Of how I tried for a better show.

I did my best, though I did fall,
When I was called and gave my all.

~ Author Unknown ~