Over on Facebook a friend has recently nominated me to post 7 pieces of music or poetry in 7 days. I took her up on the challenge deciding to track down some new poems and in doing so came across this poem and information from The Many Tears Dog Rescue, based in South Wales.
On the page they said that black dogs are harder to home than other colours. We may, therefore, have bucked the trend having adopted 3 black labs over the years. All have now passed on to the great playground in the sky, their bodies gone but their memories never fading. For me this poem is particularly poignant and I will admit to shedding a tear when I read it.
A BLACK LAB SITS IN THE CORNER
A black Lab sits in the corner
A golden Lab lays on the rug
The golden is called to his master
Where he gets a cuddle and hug
The black lab sits there waiting
Will she call my name
Just because I'm older
I want a cuddle the same
The golden lab is aged one year
The black lab is eight
He's faithful, trusting, obedient
they know he won't go past the gate
The golden lab is still a puppy
Frisky, cheeky, sometimes bad,
The black labs sits in the corner
his expression shows he is sad
They used to play with me like that
We would have fun in the park
my owner would throw me a ball
and I would run and bark
Now the black lab sits in the corner
he is fed and watered well
But the owner no longer plays with him
The golden lab's favourite, you can tell.
There was a black dog here before me
I think they called him Joe
One day they drove off with him
and he never came back I know
The say my hair is a nuisance
It's not my fault that I moult
I didn't ask them to buy new carpet
A cream one that matches HER coat
The little black lab in the corner
lays down to rest his head
It's not till 4 hours later
they realized the black lab was dead.
Brenda Brooks
So please, if you are looking to adopt a dog, do not over look the black dogs and do not overlook the older dogs. The deserve our love as much as every other dog.
I dedicate this poem to the black dogs in our lives who all came from rescue centres. To Lady. To Poppy. To Harry. I miss you all xxx
The next Animal Tales post opens on Tuesday November 24th on this blog.
A lovely poem, and thoughts with you and all those gone before. Here's to all those we'll meet in the future :)
ReplyDeleteA lovely sentiment, thank you, Adam, and thank you for all your wonderful pictures that you regularly link up. I am so jealous of your photography skills ... and your ability to find and ID birds too!
DeleteThis is so lovely - I don't get how an animal being black makes a difference - it's the same with cats, they are harder to home! it doesn't make any sense to me, plus everyone loves black it's slimming and goes with everything. Happy Birthday #AnimalTales :)
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is strange ... we have 2 black cats too, one of which is a rescue.
DeleteEnjoyed your poem :) Oh and didn't know that black dogs are hard to come by. Doc is black and if I remember most of his litter was also black and my brother also has two black labs back home :) I love labradors. #animaltales
ReplyDeleteAs you might haven guests, I love Labradors too (and Husky x German Shepherds!)
DeleteOh Rosie, that's such a sad poem. It brought tears to my eyes.
ReplyDeleteSurprised to hear that about black dogs being harder to home - I think I prefer black labs to the lighter sort. In fact, we met two lovely black labs at the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI certainly prefer black labs to golden ones but maybe I am a little biased!
DeleteOh that poem is heartbreaking. Other than one blonde rescue many years ago all our family dogs are black and that trend continues. Bess and Perdie are black, my sister's dog is black and my father's dog was black. (He died just last Friday and we are all still missing him very much. When I last saw him 2 years ago I resigned myself that it was the last time but he lasted so long and I was beginning to hope I would see him again - I missed giving him one last pet by 16 days). I love our black dogs far more than any carpet!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear your Dad's dog has died and you were so close to giving him that last cuddle. I totally agree about dogs over carpets too ... but then with Saari moulting as much as she does I'd go mad if I tried to hoover up every hair every time she shed another one!
Deleteoh you have me in tears, my darling Holly is black with some white, her siblings were white, she was also the runt. They were all born 'accidentally' on a farm because the owner wasn't careful. They were unwanted. When I heard of these unwanted pups I was first to put my hand up and the owner was surprised by my choice, I want the runt I said, I want the black one. I then helped find the perfect homes for the fluffy white ones. Holly who linked up this week has been the best dog we can ask for, next week she will be a year old. To me she is the cutest in the world. We have also rescued 3 cats, one abandoned at the vet and 2 others rom a shelter. They are our family. My sister adopted a black lab, he is 6 an just adorable. Thanks for hosting.
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking up and I'll be reading all the posts later today. I am looking forward to "meeting" Holly!
DeleteSuch a lovely poem! I'd never heard that about black dogs before - we absolutely adored our black staffie / lab cross. She always looked really smart with her glossy black coat, though how she maintained it was a mystery as she'd eat anything and everything the second your back was turned! :)
ReplyDeleteLOL, that would be the thieving Lab in her.
DeleteThat poem has actually bought a tear to my eye. Such a sad thing to happen to any animal, but it sadly it does. Having a pet is like being married (with far more benefits) you're in it through the good times and the bad, when they are young and bouncy and when they are old and need TLC.
ReplyDeleteNever knew that black dogs were harder to rehome. Never too old to learn something new!
xx
I never knew either and I love black dogs.
DeleteThat's two sad poems in one week, I need more tissues. We always have black dogs and older ones too, I don't really know why. Maybe my heart instinctively likes the 'underdog' as every time I have a dog over 6 that is jet black, well maybe a few tan bits too.
ReplyDeleteSaari in the only non black dog I have had and it is true to say if we were out walking with her and either Poppy or Harry people commented on how beautiful she was rather than the black labs .. who were just as gorgeous.
Deletei don't know how true it is but i read a year or so ago that black cats were being rehomed due to them not photographing easily
ReplyDelete