Digger

It was on my way home from school From the trail on the hill High, overlooking the school's baseball field Where I could never hope to play.. I stood awhile to watch my brother on the pitcher's mound... With profound, tangible, and tom-girl attitude I looked on, with green-eyed envy It was then I caught my first glimpse of you Huddled and alone in the drainage ditch among the sodden seeth of leaves I turned quickly....afraid you might take a bite from the heel of my magic Keds that could sweep my feet away like wings of a hawk... Instead..like lightning...you were beside me... Tail wagging, as if we were meant to be...side by side... Two of us sprinting over the stretch of road Feet scarcely touching the ground...lickety split.... Down the hill, around the bend...across the nettled field that took me home Of course...it took a bit of convincing... Begging, pleading, cajoling, Offers of impossible and implausable promises... But YES! I was allowed to keep you! You were MINE!! I named you 'Ditch Digger'.... Never was I happier!!.... And even better... was the simple fact... that for the first time.... my brother looked on with green eyed-envy........ ----------------------------------------------------------------