A Dog

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"Tis pity not to have a dog,
for at the long day's end,
The man or boy will know the joy,
Of welcome from a friend.
And whether he be rich or poor,
Or much of little bring,
The dog will mark his step and bark,
As if he were a King.
Though gossips whisper now and then,
Of faults they plainly see,
And some may sneer, from year to year,
My dog stays true to me.
He's glad to follow where I go,
And though I win or fail,
His love for me he'll let me see,
By wagging his tail.
Now if I were to list the friends
Of mine in smiles and tears,
Tho through and through are staunch and and true,
And constant down the years,
In spite of all my many faults,
Which critics catalog, Deserving blame,
I'd have to name My ever-faithful dog.
"Tis pity not to have a dog,
Whatever be his breed,
for Dogs possess a faithfulness,
Which humans sadly need.
And whether skies be blue or gray,
Good luck or ill attend,
Man's toil by day, a dog will stay,
His ever-constant friend.......

...Edgar Guest

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