Rescue

When I found him,

His face was barely visible

Beneath pounds and mounds

Of matted snowy fur.

His body tremored

Even in the warmth of a bath,

As I combed out fleas, lice, dirt,

And at least a hundred burrs.

He shook a little rainstorm

And bits of soapy hail,

From his newly groomed snout

To the tangles of his tail.

My bed became his own,

Despite the cotton blankets

He nestled in the bedroom corner

Not even an hour before.

The jingle of his new collar,

my favorite sound,

Even though it was my wake up call

At only a quarter after four.

He yawned, he stretched,

He joined me on the bed.

At six, he yelped,

Begging to be fed.

In the darkness of the morning,

We strolled to the park,

Stopping to sniff and bark

At squirrels along the way.

I let him in and out,

In and out of the house

So he could explore

Before he settled in for the day.

Less than only a day before,

He had had no one and no home.

Today he has love and he will forever,

And this I hope he knows.