The Pound

THE POUND He looked at me with cautious eyes As I walked by his cage The white whiskers on his face Attesting to his age I wandered down the row of strays Looking at them all In hopes I'd find the perfect one And ones homelessness forestall There were several that I liked Most jumping at their gate Telling me how much they'd like To escape their current fate But somehow I could not forget The old guy by the door He wasn't cute or young or spry There was something more I went back and took another look While he just sat and stared As if to say I can't believe That maybe someone cares There was a sadness to his face That stirred something inside I knew he'd traveled rocky roads Before being cast aside This is the one I told them He's going home with me Put a collar on him And I'll go pay the fee And as I took him home that day I knew right from the start I had gained a faithful friend And he had claimed my heart Placed 2nd in Francine Roberts Pick A Pet contest