LET ME TELL YOU WHY
 

     YOU ASK DEAR SIR WHY I WANT THIS PUP
     IT'S JUST A PET I'D  BUY?
     HE'S A ROTTIE, I REPLIED,
     GOT A MINUTE AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.

     YOU SEE, SIX YEARS AGO I TOOK A DRIVE,
     DOWN TO A COUNTRY PARK.
     I SAW A DOG WITH SADDENED EYES
     AND A COAT THAT WAS QUITE DARK.

     HIS HEAD WAS HUGE WITH ALMOND EYES,
     HIS TAIL WAS JUST A STUMP.
     HIS FEET WERE TANNED, SO WAS HIS CHEST
     AND A STAR WAS ON HIS RUMP.

     AS I APPROACHED HE SEEMED TO KNOW
     TO HIM I MEANT NO HARM,
     FOR HIS STUMP DID TWITCH AND HIS HEAD WENT DOWN
     WHILE I POURED ON THE CHARM.

     WHEN I GOT CLOSE, I FELT A SCAR
     THAT RAN RIGHT DOWN HIS SIDE,
     THAT THIS GREAT DOG HAD BEEN ABUSED
     WAS A FACT YOU COULD NOT HIDE.

     I COAXED AND COOED AND COAXED SOME MORE,
     'TIL I GOT HIM IN THE CAR.
     I WAS GOING TO TAKE HIM HOME WITH ME
     FOR I DIDN'T LIVE TOO FAR.

     A ROTTWEILER, I LATER LEARNED,
     WAS THE NAME I HEARD THEM SAY.
     SIX YEARS OF LOVE HE SHARED WITH ME...
     THEN GOD TOOK HIM AWAY.

     I'LL NOT FORGET THIS FRIEND OF MINE,
     I FOUND SO LONG AGO.
     MY HEART STILL BREAKS, THE TEARS STILL FLOW,
     AND O'GOD I MISS HIM SO.

     SO IF YOU LET ME BUY THIS PUP,
     MY WORD I GIVE TO YOU,
     A BETTER FRIEND HE'LL NEVER KNOW
     AND AN EMPTY HEART WILL BE ANEW.

by Jan Cooper.