CHAINED IN THE YARD

‘Twas only a dog in a kennel
And little noise he made,
But it seemed to me as I heard it
I knew what that old dog said.

“Another long month to get over;
Will nobody loosen my chain?
Just for a run ’round the meadow,
Then fasten me up again.

“Give me my old life of freedom,
Give me a plunge and a swim,
A dash and a dive in the river,
A shake and a splash on the brim.”

I patted his head and spoke kindly,
I thought that his case was hard,
Oh, give him a run in the open,
Your dog chained up in the yard!

Anonymous.
As published in “The Dog’s Book of Verse” Collected by J. Earl Clauson
A Public Domain Work.