Forgotten Dog's Christmas poem

 

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

 

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse

 

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

 

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there

 

The children were nestled all snug in their beds

 

With no thought of the dog filling their head

 

And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap

 

Knew he was cold, but didn’t care about that

 

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter

 

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter

 

Away to the window I flew like a flash

 

Figuring the dog was free of his chain and into the trash

 

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

 

Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below

 

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear

 

But Santa Claus – with eyes full of tears

 

He un-chained the dog, once so lively and quick

 

Last year’s Christmas present, now painfully thin and sick

 

More rapid than eagles he called the dog’s name

 

And the dog ran to him, despite all his pain

 

“Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!

 

On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN!

 

To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!

 

Let’s find this dog a home where he’ll be loved by all.”

 

I knew in an instant there would be no gifts this year

 

For Santa Claus had made one thing quite clear

 

The gift of a dog is not just for the season

 

We had gotten the pup for all the wrong reasons

 

In our haste to think of the
kids a gift

 

There was one important thing that we missed

 

A dog should be family, and cared for the same

 

You don’t give a gift, then put it on a chain

 

And I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight

 

“You weren’t given a
gift! You were given a LIFE!”

 

Author Unknown