"Dolly"

I knew it was her
no one else had that kind of swagger
as she made her way down the alley
with an intoxicating stagger

Her hair danced in front of her eyes
as she glanced from side to side
carefully inspecting each doorway
in case she needed to hide

I watched her secrectly for a while
before I called her name
I did not want to startle her
or ruin her night time game

Hello Dolly, your sister Molly is home waiting, nervous and blue
come and let me take you there
alley's are not for you

She reluctantly sat next to me
fearing the worst I'm sure
but when we arrived at home her sister comforted her

For she was no ordinary escapee
or common alley browser
but the finest one of the litter
my wonderful beautiful schnauser
 copyright 2002 Jerry L. Jerman
"Yard Guards"

Each year our home is different
as far as the animals it attracts
they all seem to know the right year to come
they must have animal pacts

Each year there's another family
living around or under our house
all kinds of wonderful creatures
including the perpetual mouse

If only our two schnauzers
could enjoy them like we do
we'd have new families every year
kind of like living in a zoo

Well, its a zoo alright
with our dogs keeping guard
to make absolutely sure
that nothing comes in our yard

But in spite of alltheir efforts
wild life still abounds
In fact they're often treed
as evidenced by barking sounds

First came the cottontails
with home under backyard shed
harassed for weeks by Molly & Dolly
they decided to move on instead

Then came the big gray squirrel
who thought he was pretty smart
to raid the seed in the birdfeeders
till the barking caused him to depart

Next came the possums
and under the house they went
Determined to withstand the mutts
they stayed behind the vent

I really hoped that they would stay
in spite of Molly's wails
cause feeding late at night
they dined on slugs and snails

Late at night in flashlight bright
new little eyed did shine
all bunched up close to mom
as she taught them how to mine
But one thing sure came natural
when caught out on their own
playing dead, they're perfectly still
no noise, no hiss, no moan

The summer waned, the babies grew up
they decided to move away
making room for a family of Raccoons
who thought they'd move in to play

It seems the possums told the Raccoons
to move in right away
Make yourself at home
and settle in for a nice long stay

They were here for quite a while
In spite of the dogs protest
they dug for worms and other critters
in order to find the best

But after several weeks
they got tired of being pursued
they wre chased up all the trees
just for searching for food

So now its pretty calm around here
with a variety of feathered friends
usually not threatened by Molly & Dolly
but even that depends

Cause the Doves like to feed on the ground
and are open to harassing flack
but usually fly away in time
when suffering a canine attack

So things now return to normal
with our cat and birds in the yard
and making sure no others enter
Molly & Dolly stand guard
Copyright 2002 Jerry L. Jerman