Here in this Home

Here in this home,

I am despised.

I sleep under the stars,

Through wind, rain and snow,

Through heat and cold and storms.

My fur is matted.

Hunger twists in my throat.

An ice cold dragon of fear

Growls deep in my soul,

Whispers dark thoughts

of pain yet to come.

Angry voices echo,

Violent bullets fly,

Fire tears through my chest.

I just hide from the storm,

Wait for clearer skies, for better days.

 

I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.

Just please make the pain go away.

Love me, care for me, protect me.

Give me someone to love, to care for, to protect.

 

Here in this home,

I am unwanted.

Brought from the slums to the pound,

One dirty hole to the next.

Strong metal chain link scars my nose,

Strong metal bullets scar my chest.

Icy water scars my eyes

When I raise my voice in protest.

My white fur has long since turned yellow

From lying in my own waste.

Rain leaks through the roof,

Thunder crashes overhead.

Howls fill any silence.

Others like me leave crying,

And don’t come back.

I just hide from the storm,

Wait for clearer skies, for better days.

 

I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.

Just please make the pain go away.

Love me, care for me, protect me.

Give me someone to love, to care for, to protect.

 

Here in this home,

I am just one of many.

An outsider looking in,

Omega of the pack.

Others, bigger and stronger than I,

Scarred and angry with vicious-looking teeth.

Strong, painful jaws

Burn through my neck

The humans don’t notice a thing.

They yell angry words

When I disturb the nighttime peace.

I whine quietly as I can

And try to hide the wounds

From disease, wind, and rain.

I just hide from the storm,

I wait for clearer skies, for better days.

 

I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.

Just please make the pain go away.

Love me, care for me, protect me.

Give me someone to love, to care for, to protect.

 

Here in this home,

I am finally loved.

A brother, a sister, a family.

One to love and protect,

One to love me and protect me.

The ice dragon of fear

Has curled up to hibernate.

Bullets embedded no longer burn.

Though my vision is fading,

Eyes too scarred from icy hose water to see,

I can trust in my home.

I know that I will always have food,

Love, understanding, and attention.

The storm has now broken.

The skies have cleared;

Better days have arrived.

 

Thank you, my family

For taking away the pain.

For loving, for caring, for protecting.

For giving me someone to love, to care for, and protect.

 

As I close my eyes

On the fuzzy outlines of my humans,

I sink into warm, comfortable sleep.

The end is peaceful, soothing, fulfilling.

I have loved, and been loved.

I have taken care of, and been cared for.

I have protected, and been protected.

Final night comes, and I welcome the dark.

Because buried deep in my clean black and white fur

Are three sets of loving human hands

And a few precious tears,

Shed just for me. 

Author's Note

Every word of this is true.

Reviews

[Legolas]

Amazingly written poem. Animal abuse is so heart breaking. Humans are monsters and many think that animals don't have feelings. I am so sorry that your dog died. I am sure he/she is very grateful to you and your family for taking him in and bringing him joy to the very end. Great job.

[That_Girl]

This is quite lovely... I really enjoyed reading it because while it was technically from an abused dog's point of view, it could also refer (loosely) to an abused child. Very well done!

[Sheila Kline]

Thank goodness for you!! Your raw, true write of how a precious animal, so unjustly was abused is heartbreaking until you reveal the sweet one is adopted by a loving family!

With words such as yours, we may hope others may see them and understand the pain that an animal may endure! Someone said below in another review that you write beyond your years, and I agree. This is deep, so observant, so loving and kind!
Beautiful though heart wrenching! And going in my favorite's file!

[Winter Red Tears]

This is incredible ... it connects to many people and almost forces readers to reflect and to think. It's deep, and many like myself actually can relate and shed our invisible tears as we read through this beautiful piece.

[Mary]

Marble Mountain, you are the voice for the abandoned furry ones, the ones who bring humans to shame. Your poetry is far beyond your young years!

[Isabelle Faye]

Wow...it's just...wow. The poem was deep, sad, heart wrenching,I could keep going. I was almost crying when the dog died at the end. I'm so so sorry you lost your dog. I love how you used repetition with alterations to further the feelings the poem produces. You did a wonderful job and I love it. Please keep writing more like this.

[afra]

wow ..deep and powerful ..good job

[RachelReaper]

This poem definitely strikes deep, especially for animal lovers who are fighting against animal abuse like this. This poem hits home, good job, bad makes me sad...