Stray Poem by John I Nash

I saw a stray today, he was walking in the middle of the road, he looked lost and had no where to go.

With my car I followed behind him at a snail's pace, flashing my lights as I drove what an awful sight.

What plight had driven him so, he looked mighty low. He could be hit at any moment, I thought, I could not let it be.

Stopping the car and walking toward him, he looked back at me contemptuously as though I was the enemy.

Equalizing rain poured down on us as we stared at one another, words of caring and friendship I tried to convey but he would have none of it, no way.

If I approached him, he would move closer to the oncoming traffic and look back at me as if to say ' if you come closer I will do myself away, this moment this day.' Hanging my head in sorrow, I moved away, there was nothing I could say.

Finally he moved to the side of the road, to let me pass. The others behind me hit their gas and sped away.

I could not take my eyes off this stray, he reminded me of someone this day.

He looked back at me with sad eyes and shook the rain from his fur, he walked behind my car, looked up the road and started walking down the middle the other way, then I knew I could not deter him in his decision, his mission, there was no doubt what he was about, as he walked into oncoming traffic, this moment this day, poor stray.