The Rescue

Throughout the animal kingdom, 
There are commonalities, don’t you think?
One of the strongest among them
Is an inborn maternal instinct.

She wouldn’t leave her litter
To go outside and save herself;
Instead she stayed beside them
And barked and howled for help.

He rushed into the burning building,
Not sure of what he’d find;
The smoke and fire very thick,
Making him practically blind.

He followed a path to the sounds
Of the barking, howls and yelps;
Being a dog owner himself,
He knew he had to help.

He found them in the laundry room;
A mother dog and her six pups.
He used an empty laundry basket
To pick the newborns up.

She stayed close to his side
As he led them out of harms way;
He checked out each of her little pups
To make sure they were okay.

Sometimes we wonder if animals feel
The same emotions that we do;
The lick she planted on his face
Sure felt like gratitude.

Throughout the years this fireman
Had rescued many souls,
But the rescue of this dog and pups
Is the one he most often told.

NOTE:  In verse 5, instead of "mother dog" I wanted to use the accepted term for a 
mother dog - "b_tch", but PS would not accept that word - damn, I mean darn!
Copyright © | Year Posted 2011

Poem

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Brown Avatar
February 23, 2011 at 4:32 AM
Congratulations on your well deserved win in Joyce's contest Joe. Love, Carol
Fraser Avatar
February 5, 2011 at 5:28 AM
Many congratulations Joe on your win in Joyce's contest with this fine poem. As per your comment above, PS as an International poetry site need to start reading between the lines. The word above can an is used in general day life by vets and R.S.P.C.A. officers. They need to get their heads out of the sand, and allow certain words to be used in context.....:)
Pettit Avatar
February 4, 2011 at 4:47 PM
Congratulations on your win. You have great descriptiveness and rhyming in this entry.
Calhoun Avatar
February 4, 2011 at 1:22 PM
Hi Joe Congratulations on your win in Joyce's contest. Best wishes, Kory"
Richards Avatar
February 4, 2011 at 12:28 PM
A wonderful entry to the Doggy contest Joe! Congratulations on a well deserved win! love, Carrie
Devonshire Avatar
February 4, 2011 at 9:23 AM
So happy to see your poem ranked high, Joe. Congratulations, my friend. Love, Carolyn
George   Avatar
February 4, 2011 at 9:17 AM
Beautiful. and I have no doubt what-so-ever, that dogs for sure have souls and feeling like us. Congrats on your big win, Joe. Lainie.
Sweetheart Avatar
February 4, 2011 at 7:43 AM
Congrats Joe on your big win in Joyce's contest with this touching write and entry my friend.. enjoy another sweet victory with luv..
Freeman Avatar
February 4, 2011 at 7:12 AM
Joe, good to see you at the top, enjoy. Agape, Moses
Onclaud Avatar
February 4, 2011 at 1:01 AM
awwhhh, sooo well-expressed , joe! love this piece with big congrats for the win... :) hugggs, nette
Poet Avatar
February 3, 2011 at 10:43 PM
Congrats Joe on your big win in this contest!Enjoyed your poem--kashinath
Johnson Avatar
February 3, 2011 at 9:58 PM
It's a perfectly good word. Should have been able to use it. I liked the great emotion in this poem. Congratulations. Love, Joyce
Ruebel Avatar
January 20, 2011 at 10:54 AM
Hello Joe, Well done! This is written with such insight I could imagine it all. Just Beautiful As Always, Shar
Devonshire Avatar
January 20, 2011 at 10:11 AM
A very moving description of the photograph, Joe. Surely animals have feelings. Why else did my cats purr when being petted and growl if another animal approached their food bowl. Just try to mess with a lion's litter if you question whether they have a maternal instinct. Awesome poem, my friend. Wishing you success in Joyce's contest -- I took a slightly different approach. Love, Carolyn
Brown Avatar
January 20, 2011 at 9:44 AM
I enjoyed reading your excellent poetry this morning Joe. The best to you in Joyce's first contest and hopefully not her last. Wishing you a wonderful day. Love, Carol
Shreve Avatar
January 20, 2011 at 8:43 AM
great poem I think it shows people can be as loyal to pets as they are to us
Neels Avatar
January 20, 2011 at 8:37 AM
So much truth to this write of yours Joe and I could not help but chuckle at your footnote.. All the best for the contest ;-)
Richards Avatar
January 20, 2011 at 8:37 AM
I tried using that word once (very innocently)...but had the same problem...oh well...your poem worked beautifully even without rhyming the itching words!! Just great, Joe !!
Roberts Avatar
January 20, 2011 at 8:37 AM
wonderful entry Joe, exceptional ( with or without the b**ch)
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