Ma says no, it's too much care <br /> An' it will scatter germs an' hair, <br /> An' it's a nuisance through and through. <br /> An' barks when you don't want it to; <br /> An' carries dirt from off the street, <br /> An' tracks the carpets with its feet. <br /> But it's a sign he's growin' up <br /> When he is longin' for a pup. <br /> <br /> Most every night he comes to me <br /> An' climbs a-straddle of my knee <br /> An' starts to fondle me an' pet, <br /> Then asks me if I've found one yet. <br /> An' ma says: 'Now don't tell him yes; <br /> You know they make an awful mess.' <br /> An' starts their faults to catalogue. <br /> But every boy should have a dog. <br /> <br /> An' some night when he comes to me, <br /> Deep in my pocket there will be <br /> The pup he's hungry to possess <br /> Or else I sadly miss my guess. <br /> For I remember all the joy <br /> A dog meant to a little boy <br /> Who loved it in the long ago, <br /> The joy that's now his right to know.<br /><br />Edgar Albert Guest<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-joy-of-a-dog/
