Dead Dog Blues Poem by Denys E. W. Jones

Once I had a dog that wagged its tail.
Barked night and day till the neighbours complained.
P’lice came round, put the dog down.
Dog don’t bark no more.

Bought me a budgie that sang in a cage.
Caught bird flu one fine day.
Croaked and coughed, feathers dropped off.
Budgie no sing song.

Next one I had was a sleek, black cat.
‘long came a SUV and rolled him flat.
Guzzled loads of gas, squashed cat splat!
God sat twiddling thumbs.

Got me a goldfish with Mick Jagger lips.
Two weeks later fish fell sick.
Skin turned white, scales peeled off.
Sank like a stone to the bottom of the bowl.

The fish and the budgie, the moggy and the dog…
When it comes to pets I don’t have much luck.
The whole lot died, I can’t tell why,
But it makes me feel so blue.

19/12/06