Best Stray Poems
There was a little dog one day,
Who ambled on his aimless way.
He didn't have a house or home:
A doggy bed or fine meat bone.
His coat was mats and full of fleas.
He owned no boy to try and please.
Near garbage bin was where he sat,
Along with one sad, homeless cat.
His human threw him out you see.
This person wasn't you or me.
For we would never be so cruel,
Or act like some poor, heartless fool.
The winter came and with it cold.
Dog's airy ways were put on hold.
He shivered in the dark of night:
A sad, pathetic, needy sight.
And then a storm blew in with snow.
It left dog with no place to go.
He sat and whined beside the road,
For someone kind to lift his load.
Then came a car -- slow passing by.
A young boy warm and loved inside.
He saw the freezing, half grown pup
And begged they stop and pick him up.
The winter passed and next the spring.
Now please behold a wondrous thing.
A boy and dog romp on the grass.
All mats and fleas now in the past.
It's joy and love and fun we see.
The way that God meant it should be.
Both run and play, all pain now past;
This bond of dog and boy shall last.
The sad thing is allotted time
Of man and dog will just not rhyme.
The boy will know sad loss of friend,
Long years before his own sure end.
Then in a time that's yet to be,
They'll reunite both young and free.
Forever will their bond go on,
In timeless sunsets, countless dawns.
© 2015 Diane Lefebvre
America, why did you stray from the old way.
A constitution put forth, the foundation of our land,
barely recognizable what was originally Jefferson's hand.
Tarnished and smudged by misinterpretation,
overindulgence and greed, to satisfy political,
judicial, and journalistic need.
Once majority rule, now bordering on ridicule,
the law of the land, ever changing, meeting demands,
of whoever takes a stand.
America, why did you stray, parents unable to discipline,
fear children undisciplined now rule, school in chaos,
students unruly, guaranteed to pass, unprepared for their future,
parents unsure, wish for the past, hope the next generation,
won't be like the last.
America, why did you stray, streets used to be a place to play,
neighbors knew one another, socialized every day,
doors left unlocked, nothing to fear, families stayed close,
helped one another, took care of mother.
Now drugs rule the day, hate and crime more common than play,
multiple locks symbolic of today, rarely talk to a stranger,
living in fear; life no longer precious, taken away,
day after day, the bloody count rises, a country in crisis,
victims pay, guilty appeal, courts give them the best deal.
Nobody protests for victims rights, put a murderer to death,
they scream all night.
America, why did you stray, hatred and bigotry alive
and well today, nationalities split, long for the old way,
when an American, was just an American, now hyphenation,
the accepted way.
America, why did you stray, once an industrial giant
you gave it away, too high a standard for industry to pay,
moved out of country, the new American way, unemployment,
poverty, homelessness rapidly increasing, ruined lives,
while billions are spent on so called allies.
America, why did you stray, what's written today,
barely address the wrongs building every day,
religion is accepted, God is not,
country divided, politically split,
presidential bashing provides journalistic wit,
hatred and bigotry, live for it.
America why did you stray, new chapters every day,
really a damn shame.
stray cat under moonlight
looks up pauses and moves on
no regrets
Rusty Finds A Home!
Rust-hued kitty’s shunned by day, ignored through the night
Unloved and discarded in a world numb to his plight
As he meows by a door
Rusty meets family Tor
Who give him a home, protection and love glowing bright
—Robert Gorelick
Who could resist a kitty like Rusty
Who is lonely, scared and very dusty
Needing a safe home
Of his very own
And someone to adore him who’s trusty
—Beryl Edmunds
Oh, where did you come from? The sad sight of you
breaks my heart in two. I see that you're lost,
scared, disheveled and emaciated.
You wander from street to street, town to town
aimlessly; your travels fraught with grave peril.
If you jumped the backyard fence and ran away...
please wander back home. Your family must be
distraught and looking for you! Why did you flee?
Or were you abandoned in the middle of nowhere?
Whoa! Danger! Danger! Danger! Steer clear
of busy highways! Do not cross. Please turn back
Don't run from me; let me rescue you!
Where do you go when winds howl in
bone-chillingly cold nights? In my mind's eye,
you're trembling as you whimper in discomfort
As you bear the brunt of the harsh elements,
the sword of damocles hangs over your neck
like a leash, and death casts its shadow from above
Beware! Don't wander into roads with busy traffic!
Watch out for cars whizzing by! The likelihood of a fatal
accident is extremely high! If only you'd realize ...
how unsafe you are roaming these streets!
Danger lurks everywhere your four legs take you!
Poor thing, don't be afraid. Let me save you!
Submitted for...
Strand Choice A,Any Form,Any Theme Poetry Contest (Winner: Honorable Mention)
Sponsored by: Brian Strand
03/09/2020
Submitted for...
Warning Poetry Contest (Winner: 4th Place)
Sponsored by: Richard Lamoureux
Date written: 02/27/2020
He who is born in the ruthless streets of a busy city
I am without a home
A family
Nor a companion
I am all alone
My homes differ from time to time
Abandoned houses, alleys anywhere the streets welcomes me
I am at the mercy of the changing weather
Every day is a battlefield for survival
A gruesome cycle I only wish a good Samaritan may extricate me from
My matted fur is an infestation of ticks and fleas
I have grown accustomed to them to the point where I consider them my family
A fetid odor you may sense
That might be me passing by, turn a blind eye if you don’t mean well
Please don’t charge at me
My weary bones have had enough for one day
Skinny as a toothpick
I make do with the leftovers you throw into the bin
The little I can find to see another sunrise is more than enough
I could cave in and just die in an alleyway somewhere
No one wouldn’t even feel a void of my passing
But my hope to one day have a place where I can belong
Gives me the willpower to strive to see another dawn
To those who have shown me kindness
And only received a bark in return
Forgive me
It isn’t because of hatred
It is because of my leery, dubious and fearful nature
It is the only way I learnt how to survive
I am yet to trust the hands that have shown me no mercy countless times
I only ask you be patient with me
Be gentle with me until I no longer quiver at your touch
Until I can learn how to love and how to receive love
When that happens, I promise you my unequivocal love and loyalty
Just please don’t give up on me
I am not a cat person - they just don’t fit my style,
But when that stray walked in my door – she decided to stay a while.
My door is always open, as I work in my shed in back,
She comes and she goes on her own whims – she is her very own cat.
I didn’t bother to name her – but I did put out some food
And refreshed her bowl of water – it’s the least that I could do.
She would sit and watch me working – cutting my carpenter’s wood
And chase the mice out of my shed – I’m kind of glad that she could.
I started talking to her – as I usually worked alone
And she seemed awful comfortable – making my house her home.
Seldom did I pet her - she stayed out of arms reach
But would rub up against my legs, down by my feet.
For years we tolerated each other – never getting too close;
Staying out of each other’s way – respectfully, I suppose.
I didn’t realize how attached I’d become – until that awful day,
When I cried all day and all night upon the death of that un-named stray.
Joe Flach
If I could write a poem about
you, what would the subject be?
And would the form be sonnet,
or something far more free?
You are so difficult to define,
the fullness of your broad world
compared to feral mine – like trying
to compact eternity.
For if I wrote, such a poem, exposing my deep
feelings, the underbelly of my purring personality,
would you play the petting part, the welcoming
lap of loving sensitivity, – alas, no such cords
to so express, nor a hand to ever use a pen,
I will pass your window again...
wondering of what might have been....
such a little dog
cold and hungry no warm home
four small frozen paws
The stray cat walks on three legs now.
(I swear he’d walk on two.)
I found out just the other night;
My neighbors call him Lou.
He’s weathered one more winter:
The fourth since I arrived.
The shape he’s always in by spring:
Lord . . how does he survive?
I leave a pan of dry food out
Each and every day.
Protected from the rain or snow,
In case Lou comes this way.
A little dog house waits nearby,
Next to the pan of food.
It’s padded well in wintertime,
In case Lou’s in the mood:
To trust me and to rest awhile,
In a place that’s dry and warm.
To stop his weary traveling round
And nevermore move on.
Except for this I do no more,
For Lou will not come near.
He’s feral now, afraid of me
And this won’t change, I fear.
In speaking with my neighbor though,
It seems there are a few --
Who also care about the likes
Of poor, old Tiger Lou.
His days are spent amongst us
And amongst us they will end.
But none can say, stray Tiger Lou,
Passed by without a friend.
stray winds flick rotor fingers
uranium rods shun sun
for perpetual motion
puny pursuit of power continues
Stoked in low;
stoked in high;
Try to reach up;
to that sky.
Your placement here;
Has just been in passing;
It's over now;
Life's not that harassing.
Don't look down;
Too late, don't frown;
Come with me;
We'll have the new town.
Never again;
Shall I turn away;
Never again;
Shall I stray!
I'm leaving now;
I'll see you soon;
Come, let's hurry;
It's almost noon!
Give it a chance;
Give it a stance;
Look at you;
You're in France?
Let me tend;
Let me bend;
It all comes down to this;
My gallant friend!
Show me now;
Show me then;
It is how life goes;
It is The End.
Revised Edition: August 23, 2021, 1:52 PM (EST)
Mangled and muddy
a limp could be seen
spat on and bullied
when others were mean
Head hangs to the ground
scrounging a meal
cast out of her comfort
from a love thought as real
Tiptoeing the banks
of a slow moving stream
basking in sunshine
seen in yesterday's dream
Spied a reflection
for who is this cat
one who is ugly
mangy and fat
Eyes that are lost
no purpose nor soul
sadly surrendered
hardened he strolls
Purrs echo the night as
empty meadows he roams
searching for daisies
and a place to call home
I am a stray
The one who has no place
The one who stands alone
The one who takes up the extra space
How I wish I had my own thrown
The person who bounces around
The person who has to flee
The person who wishes they were home bound
Which is someone I don't want to be
I want my own family clan
I want belonging
I want a solid plan
Oh, how I've been longing
I need a stable place
I need to feel wanted
I need to not see the tears down my face
Which makes me feel haunted
What I have is something in the middle
What I have is something unique
What I have is a crazy riddle
Something new every week
I lived in a row house in Pampark
that's a place you don't go after dark,
But I wanted some eggs
thought I would stretch my legs,
when a stray bullet just met my mark.
Got hit in my butt by a bullet
the Doctors could not even pullit,
Now I lie on my side
and I no longer ride,
I have problems just trying to s-it!