Poetry Thursday

The truth be told, Gladys still made Henry's heart glow.

She was no longer a young dog. They no longer spent their nights on the go.

They didn't zoom under the stars. They didn't leap through the snow

Gladys had lost the zest for life 38 litters ago.

She spends her day on the couch, sleeping away while watching old episodes of The Price Is Right.

At four she eats supper, then turns in for the night

The thought of Gladys and him living the rest of their life like this filled Henry with fright

He vowed not to let her disappear into the darkness of night without a fight.

One day, Henry suggests they go dancing.

Gladys snapped back that she was sleeping.

Henry said, "To the moon we can go howling."

Gladys replied We're too old to leave the house without dying."

Henry hated seeing her so sad

All his efforts to cheer her up made her mad

Then he remembered he was a dad.

And set out to find one of the dozens of children she had.

There were 234 in all.

And on Christmas, no one could send a card or leave a call.

When he found them, they all had their excuses not to go like they had to chase a ball.

The only one who said he would visit his mother was Saul. The runt of the litter. Almost five times too small.

Saul visited on a Monday 

He brought with him a bright bouquet 

But Gladys wouldn't look at him. Her time was invested in a muffin she found outside a cafe.

Henry waited impatiently, knowing the mother-and-child reunion was only a muffin away

Gladys finally noticed Saul and for the first time in years she smiled which was pretty beyond compare.

Saul ran and hugged her ending her despair.

And Henry realized something that he had been Unaware.

Sad moms never need anything beyond one of their children sticking their heads in and saying hello in there

JJ