International Dog Day
All three artworks by Jane Cornwell
-All above poems by Brian Moses
-Lisa McCabe (Both poems previously published in Orchards Poetry Journal, Summer 2020)
“Beware of the Dog!”
He’s fixed his eyes on you
“Beware of the Dog!”
He practises kung fu
“Beware of the Dog!”
He packs a powerful punch
“Beware of the Dog!”
He’s yet to eat his lunch
“Beware of the Dog!”
He’s such a serious threat
“Beware of the Dog!”
Ask the bite-scarred vet
“Beware of the Dog!”
He’s incredibly large
“Beware of the Dog!”
He’s so supercharged
“Beware of the Dog!”
He devoured the postman
“Beware of the Dog!”
Or you’ll be doggie toast man
“Beware of the Dog!”
He does dangerous stuff
“Beware of the Dog!”
SNARRRRRRL!
WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!
GGGGGGROWL!
RUFF! RUFF! RUFF!
-Neal Zetter
This is the ballad of Hooligan Hound
The peskiest hound for miles around
A barker, a woofer, a tea towel thief
The face of an angel
But what lies beneath
Is a sneak and a faker
A mischief maker
A stealer of treats
And the boots off your feets
She’s quick and she’s slick
There’s nowt she won’t nick
She pinches my socks
And my toast,
Thats the most……
Annoying of all
Though the barking and howling
The drooling and growling
Can be tedious and tiresome
And if she’s run out of treats
We have to run out and buy her some !
Barking at cats
And postmen in hats
Yes postmen in hats!
What do ya think about that!
Hound sleeps where she wants,
On the bed or the sofa
She’s a hooligan, robber
A fur covered loafer
Since she turned up we’ve not had one quiet day
And she’s ruined the lawn in her own special way
There’s patches of green but mainly of brown
And dirty great holes as she’s burrowed on down
She once came up grinning with a mouth full of coal Men from the council had to fill in the hole
At the vets she’s a legend since this came to pass
By sticking her nose up the poor old vets
I see what you’re thinking and I know what you mean
But she keeps away burglars cos she’s bright and she’s keen
But yes if your boots have gone missing and cannot be found
You can be sure it’s the work / of the hooligan hound
-Graham Bibby (https://ko-fi.com/post/The-Ballad-of-Hooligan-Hound-C0C64OZC6)
-Paul Brookes (from ebook “As Folk Over Yonder”, Afterworld Press, 2019)
The Wombwell Rainbow 