The Guardian Of The Backyard Poem by Daleen Enslinstrydom

When you see me you will not mind me
as I seem only small
and with my golden eyes
I do watch you and wag my tail
when you stroke upon my stomach
but be careful
as I have got a nasty bite.

I am the guardian of the backyard
where I hide underneath a wheelbarrow
that is overgrown with gardenias.

On the carpet in front of the door
the word welcome is spelled out
and on a board the names
of my owners are engraved.

When my bowl overflows
my tail wags by itself
and all the dogs in the neighbourhood
do envy me.

My master does laugh out loudly
when he plays with a ball with me
and I do hide the ball
when I grow tired of fetching it.

In the afternoons when they do lay down for a nap
I am on my post and do continually bark
to frighten off any intruders
but sometimes I do lie down under the wheelbarrow
just to slumber for a while.

People say that I am small
but they do not know how sharp my teeth are
and any intruders must beware
as I am the guardian of the backyard
but my madam calls me her lapdog.