Badger
The badger grunting on his woodland track
With shaggy hide and sharp nose scrowed with black
Roots in the bushes and the woods, and makes
A great high burrow in the ferns and brakes.
With nose on ground he runs an awkward pace,
And anything will beat him in the race.
The shepherd's dog will run him to his den
Followed and hooted by the dogs and men.
The woodman when the hunting comes about
Goes round at night to stop the foxes out
And hurrying through the bushes to the chin
Breaks the old holes, and tumbles headlong in.
When midnight comes a host of dogs and men
Go out and track the badger to his den,
And put a sack within the hole, and lie
Till the old grunting badger passes bye.
He comes and hears—they let the strongest loose.
The old fox hears the noise and drops the goose.
The poacher shoots and hurries from the cry,
And the old hare half wounded buzzes bye.
They get a forked stick to bear him down
And clap the dogs and take him to the town,
And bait him all the day with many dogs,
And laugh and shout and fright the scampering hogs.
He runs along and bites at all he meets:
They shout and hollo down the noisy streets.
He turns about to face the loud uproar
And drives the rebels to their very door.
The frequent stone is hurled where e'er they go;
When badgers fight, then every one's a foe.
The dogs are clapt and urged to join the fray;
The badger turns and drives them all away.
Though scarcely half as big, demure and small,
He fights with dogs for bones and beats them all.
The heavy mastiff, savage in the fray,
Lies down and licks his feet and turns away.
The bulldog knows his match and waxes cold,
The badger grins and never leaves his hold.
He drives the crowd and follows at their heels
And bites them through—the drunkard swears and reels.
The frighted women take the boys away,
The blackguard laughs and hurries on the fray.
He tries to reach the woods, an awkward race,
But sticks and cudgels quickly stop the chase.
He turns again and drives the noisy crowd
And beats the many dogs in noises loud.
He drives away and beats them every one,
And then they loose them all and set them on.
He falls as dead and kicked by boys and men,
Then starts and grins and drives the crowd again;
Till kicked and torn and beaten out he lies
And leaves his hold and cackles, groans, and dies.
Some keep a baited badger tame as hog
And tame him till he follows like the dog.
They urge him on like dogs and show fair play.
He beats and scarcely wounded goes away.
Lapt up as if asleep, he scorns to fly
And seizes any dog that ventures nigh.
Clapt like a dog, he never bites the men
But worries dogs and hurries to his den.
They let him out and turn a harrow down
And there he fights the host of all the town.
He licks the patting hand, and tries to play
And never tries to bite or run away,
And runs away from the noise in hollow trees
Burnt by the boys to get a swarm of bees.
poem by John Clare
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Dogs (Homage)
Man’s best friend?
Why?
There is nothing quite as cute as a puppy
Dogs are more than pets, they’re companions
Dogs are fiercely loyal
Dogs protect life & property, even to their own demise
Dogs do not judge their masters
Dogs are grateful for any food fed them
Dogs can be trained to carry, guide, search, rescue and hunt
Dogs are great listeners
Dogs are ready to play anytime
Dogs are emotional sponges that absorb human misery
Dogs are wonderful match-makers and buffers
Dogs can chase away “The blues”
You can take a dog’s balls and he’ll still love you
Yes,
Dogs are 'Man’s best friend'
After all God is Dog spelled backwards...
poem by Ray Lucero
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Death Of The Baby
The death of the baby
the family went for a walk
the dog ran off
the mum and dad started to talk
“do u know our sons a goth”
they felt a breeze
it was getting cold
they started to freeze
as they get old
they all go home
the baby starts crying
y mums on the phone
the dad goes paragliding
the baby pulls the dogs tail
the dog growls
but it was an epic fail
the loud sound of the dogs howl
the mum jumps up
and grabs the dogs collar
throws the cup
the dog rips her kids bottle dollar
the mum smacks the dog
the dog gets mad
and runs outside it to the fog
the mother is sad
she rings the dad
“gets back here now”
“the dogs been bad”
the dad runs over a cow
gets out the car
sees the dog
but hes not far
but dissapears into the fog
he drives home
the baby is dead
and there alone
the baby bit on its head
at the funeral they cried
never got a dog again
every 1 was by there side
but now this is THE END
poem by Arron John
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Walking West
Anyone with quiet pace who
walks a gray road in the West
may hear a badger underground where
in deep flint another time is
Caught by flint and held forever,
the quiet pace of God stopped still.
Anyone who listens walks on
time that dogs him single file,
To mountains that are far from people,
the face of the land gone gray like flint.
Badgers dig their little lives there,
quiet-paced the land lies gaunt,
The railroad dies by a yellow depot,
town falls away toward a muddy creek.
Badger-gray the sod goes under
a river of wind, a hawk on a stick.
poem by William Stafford
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Turkeys
The turkeys wade the close to catch the bees
In the old border full of maple trees
And often lay away and breed and come
And bring a brood of chelping chickens home.
The turkey gobbles loud and drops his rag
And struts and sprunts his tail and then lets drag
His wing on ground and makes a huzzing noise,
Nauntles at passer-bye and drives the boys
And bounces up and flies at passer-bye.
The old dog snaps and grins nor ventures nigh.
He gobbles loud and drives the boys from play;
They throw their sticks and kick and run away.
poem by John Clare
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Suburbia
Lost in the high street, where the dogs run
Roaming suburban boys
Mothers got a hairdo to be done
She says theyre too old for toys
Stood by the bus stop with a felt pen
In this suburban hell
And in the distance a police car
To break the suburban spell
Lets take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In suburbia
You cant hide, run with the dogs tonight
In suburbia
Break the window by the town hall
Listen, the siren screams
There in the distance, like a roll call
Of all the suburban dreams
Lets take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In suburbia
You cant hide, run with the dogs tonight
In suburbia
I only wanted something else to do but hang around
I only wanted something else to do but hang around
I only wanted something else to do but hang around
I only wanted something else to do but hang around
Its on the front page of the papers
This is their hour of need
Wheres a policeman when you need one
To blame the colour tv?
Lets take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In suburbia
You cant hide, run with the dogs tonight
In suburbia
Take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In suburbia
You cant hide, run with the dogs tonight
In suburbia
Run with the dogs tonight
In suburbia
You cant hide
In suburbia
In suburbia
In suburbia
In suburbia
In suburbia
song performed by by Pet Shop Boys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Stray dogs
Here and there and everywhere
Stray dogs doing business
And barkedup wrongtrees
And spoiled the working
Environments.
Stray dogs have no
Commonsense not true
Stray dogs encounter
The alien.
Stray dogs safeguard
The interest
And ensure to make
The area clean.
Stray dogs welcome
Common mass
Stray dogs do not like
Corrupt class.
Stray dogs can only think
The morrows
Stray dogs have practical
Experience and knowledge
You know I know all know.
poem by Gajanan Mishra
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Fox
The shepherd on his journey heard when nigh
His dog among the bushes barking high;
The ploughman ran and gave a hearty shout,
He found a weary fox and beat him out.
The ploughman laughed and would have ploughed him in
But the old shepherd took him for the skin.
He lay upon the furrow stretched for dead,
The old dog lay and licked the wounds that bled,
The ploughman beat him till his ribs would crack,
And then the shepherd slung him at his back;
And when he rested, to his dog's surprise,
The old fox started from his dead disguise;
And while the dog lay panting in the sedge
He up and snapt and bolted through the hedge.
He scampered to the bushes far away;
The shepherd called the ploughman to the fray;
The ploughman wished he had a gun to shoot.
The old dog barked and followed the pursuit.
The shepherd threw his hook and tottered past;
The ploughman ran but none could go so fast;
The woodman threw his faggot from the way
And ceased to chop and wondered at the fray.
But when he saw the dog and heard the cry
He threw his hatchet--but the fox was bye.
The shepherd broke his hook and lost the skin;
He found a badger hole and bolted in.
They tried to dig, but, safe from danger's way,
He lived to chase the hounds another day.
poem by John Clare
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Legend Of The O Keeffes
It must be a fallacy that dead canines can fly
But of the mystery in myths and legends one cannot deny
And one legend I recall from decades gone by
Is when an O Keeffe dies in Cullen dogs bark in the sky.
The legend of the O Keeffes has travelled far and wide
They hunted with their dogs in Duhallow's country-side
And stories of them in Duhallow abound
Of how with their dogs they hunted on foot covering miles of ground.
'Tis said the O Keeffes the best hunting dogs kept
And with their wives in their beds their dogs with them slept
And for the kindness shown to them their dogs them did repay
The O Keeffes never did know a poor hunting day.
I tell it as I heard it and I don't tell you a lie
It is said that in Cullen when an O Keeffe die
The dogs of their dead ancestors bark in the moonlight
In the starry sky in the dead of the night.
You can make out of this whatever you may
But in Duhallow the legend is living today
Of when a Cullen O Keeffe dies canines bark in the sky
The ghosts of their ancestors dogs on them have wings to fly.
poem by Francis Duggan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Dogs In The Midwinter
You ever had a day like I had today,
When things are stacked up bad?
You look around and every face you see
Seems guaranteed to send you mad.
And you peer into those hallowed institutions.
And they bark at you from every side.
But the bite goes wide.
I see them running with their tails hanging low
Like dogs in the midwinter.
The prophets and the wise men and the hard politicos
Are all dogs in the midwinter.
Let the breath from the mountain still the pain,
Clear water from the fountain run sweeter than the rain.
Dogs in the midwinter.
The boss man and the tax man and the moneylenders growl...
Like dogs in the midwinter.
The weaker of the herd can feel their eyes and hear them howl
Like dogs in the midwinter.
Though the fox and the rabbit are at peace,
Cold doggies in the manger turn last suppers into feasts.
Dogs in the midwinter.
You ever had a day like I had today ---
Dogs in the midwinter.
You look around and every face you see ---
Dogs in the midwinter.
And you peer into those hallowed institutions.
And they bark at you from every side.
But the bite goes wide.
Were all running on a tightrope, wearing slippers in the snow...
Were all dogs in the midwinter.
The ice is ever thinner. be careful how you go
Like dogs in the midwinter.
And its hard to find true equilibrium
When youre looking at each other down the muzzle of a gun.
Dogs in the midwinter.
song performed by by Jethro Tull
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Move It On Over
Came in last night at half past ten
That baby of mine wouldnt let me in
So move it on over (move it on over)
Move it on over (move it on over)
Move over little dog cause the big dogs moving in
Shes changed the lock on my front door
My door key dont fit no more
So get it on over (move it on over)
Scoot it on over (move it on over)
Move over skinny dog cause the fat dogs moving in
This dog house here is mighty small
But its better than no house at all
So ease it on over (move it on over)
Drag it on over (move it on over)
Move over old dog cause a new dogs moving in
She told me not to play around
But I done let the deal go down
So pack it on over (move it on over)
Tote it on over (move it on over)
Move over nice dog cause a mad dogs moving in
She warned me once, she warned me twice
But I dont take no ones advice
So scratch it on over (move it on over)
Shake it on over (move it on over)
Move over short dog cause the tall dogs moving in
Shell crawl back to me on her knees
Ill be busy scratching fleas
So slide it on over (move it on over)
Sneak it on over (move it on over)
Move over good dog cause a mad dogs moving in
Remember pup, before you whine
That sides yours and this sides mine
So shove it on over (move it on over)
Sweep it on over (move it on over)
Move over cold dog cause a hot dogs moving in
song performed by by Hank Williams
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sonnet: Country-Dogs but…
Who says that country-dogs are unworthy,
And dogs that roam the streets are to be shot?
So, people use the term in sense filthy;
But Dogs or Dogs where-ever from they’re brought.
The Dogs I see are sensible enough,
And keep their bodies clean in ways they can;
But human beings to them appear rough;
By looking once, they know the kind of man!
And some have excellent memory also,
And remember your kindness for long years;
When strangers come at nights, barking they do;
Ev’n children need not have any fears.
They scour the land and become prey to snakes;
And some are dead, sometimes in nearby lakes.
6-20-2001
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Song: The Running Dogs
In a land of distant memory,
in the primal world of old,
dog and man were enemies;
and our story should be told.
Beyond the mystic mountain,
lived a pack of hungry hounds;
with a tribe of rustic humans,
who lacked our strength renowned.
A menace to our hunting grounds,
they laid their claim to turf;
and fenced our range to out of bounds,
and stole our birthright, earth.
Our children too were victims,
of eugenic genocide.
The wild spirit of our nature;
broken, tamed, denied.
They call us now the running dogs,
the stunted and the hunted dogs.
They call us now the running dogs,
but are we running scared?
We were once the Big Bad Wolf,
fierce nemesis of cloven hoof.
We patrolled the deep dark wood,
and took the rap for Riding Hood.
We were once a breed to fear,
of sneering breath and snarling leer.
We were threats to little pigs,
and architects in flimsy digs.
But now we lounge on comfy chairs,
grow fat and soft and take on airs.
As trustee to a gaoler's whim,
our savage past must fade and dim.
They call us now the running dogs,
not cunning, merely stunning dogs.
They call us now the running dogs,
but are we running scared?
Running, running, running dogs.
I see and shun those running dogs.
Running, running, running dogs;
the docked and doctored curs.
Running, running, running dogs.
I see no fun in running dogs.
Running, running, running dogs;
till our heaving lungs will burst.
Running, running, running dogs.
And I am done with running dogs.
Running, running, running dogs.
For by that name we're cursed!
poem by David SmithWhite
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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What Would We Do Without Dogs?
What would we do without dogs?
Well, I'll tell you what we would do.
We'd wonder why they were taken away,
And ponder until we turn blue.
Why would we do all of this?
I'd do this because I care.
I care about animals and nature,
So to take away dogs, well,
If I were you, I wouldn't dare.
What would we do without dogs?
They say they are man's best friend.
So I guess the people would be sad,
Because it would have came the dogs' end.
Let's hope this never happens,
Until the end of time.
For now, while they're here,
Let's help and try and try,
To keep them here.
poem by Rebecca Ryan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Dog, Actually
Don't waste your time calling my name
I'm far too busy to play your game
I'm sniffing a dog's bum and it's doing the same
Cos I'm a dog: and that's what dogs do
I'm very excited when it's time for my walk
The peg where my lead hangs I watch like a hawk
I'd shout 'Take me walkies! ' if only I'd talk
Cos I'm a dog: and that's what dogs do
I run down the garden chasing after my ball
I leap on my hind legs so I look rather tall
When food's being offered I'll respond to your call
Cos I'm a dog: and that's what dogs do
I'm quite young and active and love to play
And when evening comes by the fire I'll lay
I'd like to sleep on a bed but in my basket I'll stay
Cos I'm a dog: and that's what dogs do
I'm a big labrador and my friends call me Billy
I'm soft and I'm gentle and just a bit silly
When I'm not eating biscuits I'm licking my... paws
Cos I'm a dog: and that's what dogs do
poem by Kevin Crinks
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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She Drives Me Crazy (feat. Zucchero)
I can't help the way I feel
Things you do don't seem so real
Tell me what you got in mind
'Cause we're runnin' out of time
Won't you ever set me free
This waitin' 'round is killin' me
She drives me crazy
Like no one else
She drives me crazy
And I can't help myself
I can't get any rest
People say I'm obsessed
Everything you say is lies
But to me there's no surprise
What I have, I knew was true
Things go wrong, they always do
She drives me crazy
Like no one else
She drives me crazy
And I can't help myself, no
She drives me crazy
Like no one else
I won't make it on my own
No one likes to be alone
She drives me crazy
Like no one else
She drives me crazy
And I can't help myself
I can't help myself
She drives me crazy
Drives me crazy
Like no one else
You know she drives me crazy
And I can't help myself
Oh myself
She drives me crazy, oh yes
Like no one else, no one else
She drives me crazy
And I can't help myself
song performed by by Tom Jones
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A meerkat in the lounge
With great speed a thing runs
into the lounge
and braids past a bookcase
with aunt Leen behind it.
“Your cats are too useless
to catch the rats, ”
she says without breath
but they are chased out,
having to stay outside
and one sleeps at night
in a room at the garage
and the other I smuggle
into my study, my bedroom
and of this fact till now
she luckily bares no knowledge.
I go and fetch the black and white housecat Felix
from the outside,
who is a great mouse hunter,
but he isn’t interested and walks out
and this makes her angrier still
and I find it very amusing
and start to wonder
what kind of beast we are dealing with
that is now hiding behind the bookcase?
I get the striped ginger Persian cat Musso,
who sometimes brings big grasshoppers, mice,
rats, lizards, birds and even snakes
as tokens of love
to get a turn
and he sniffs around at the bookcase
but although he is curious
he doesn’t want to fetch the thing
that is hiding there
and I carry him to one side
to stop it or to catch it
when it passes
and stir behind the bookcase with a broom
to drive it out.
A big adult meerkat
runs out with speed
and the cat goes for it
and jumps with arched back
and swishing paws
but like a big acrobat
that meerkat leaps right over the cat
and runs to the back of the organ
and the cat is angry,
but also anxious
as this thing
is dangerous for him
and he doesn’t regard it as prey.
When my aunt goes to another room
I get the two dogs, sneaking them in
as I am afraid
that the meerkat has rabies
and maybe it will bite me
and I move some of the furniture
for them to chase it out
or to be able to corner it somewhere,
if it doesn’t want to leave.
Jeanie the brown Labrador growls
and regards this as a great game
and Sasja
the smaller golden Cocker Spaniel
tries to get her turn
and they chase it to and fro
and Sasja bites at it and it bites back
and I have to protect the furniture from them
and fortunately the three of them run out
and the dogs want to mangle it
but the meerkat disappears into a hole
and the dogs growls and howls
and comes back later to report with waving tails
and at that moment
my aunt returns to the lounge
with her tongue hitting like a whip
stating that dogs
are not allowed in the house
and asking if I am too incapacitated to catch a rat?
I know that she is half deaf
and wonder
if she is turning blind as well
as her rat, is certainly a meerkat
and nothing else
and now she even calls it a skunk.
[Reference: Meerkat is a small animal similar to a suricate.]
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Diamond Dogs
This aint rocknroll. this is genocide!
As they pulled you out of the oxygen tent
You asked for the latest party
With your silicone hump and your ten inch stump
Dressed like a priest you was
Tod brownings freak you was
Crawling down the alley on your hands and knee
Im sure youre not protected, for its plain to see
The diamond dogs are poachers and they hide behind trees
Hunt you to the ground they will, mannequins with kill appeal
(will they come? )
Ill keep a friend serene
(will they come? )
Oh baby, come unto me
(will they come? )
Well, shes come, been and gone.
Come out of the garden, baby
Youll catch your death in the fog
Young girl, they call them the diamond dogs
Young girl, they call them the diamond dogs
The halloween jack is a real cool cat
And he lives on top of manhattan chase
The elevators broke, so he slides down a rope
Onto the street below, oh tarzie, go man go
Meet his little hussy with his ghost town approach
Her face is sans feature, but she wears a dali brooch
Sweetly reminiscent, something mother used to bake
Wrecked up and paralyzed, diamond dogs are sableized
(will they come? )
Ill keep a friend serene
(will they come? )
Oh baby, come unto me
(will they come? )
Well, shes come, been and gone.
Come out of the garden, baby
Youll catch your death in the fog
Young girl, they call them the diamond dogs
Young girl, they call them the diamond dogs
Oo-oo-ooh, call them the diamond dogs
Oo-oo-ooh, call them the diamond dogs
In the year of the scavenger, the season of the bitch
Sashay on the boardwalk, scurry to the ditch
Just another future song, lonely little kitsch
(theres gonna be sorrow) try and wake up tomorrow
(will they come? )
Ill keep a friend serene
(will they come? )
Oh baby, come unto me
(will they come? )
Well, shes come, been and gone.
Come out of the garden, baby
Youll catch your death in the fog
Young girl, they call them the diamond dogs
Young girl, they call them the diamond dogs
Oo-oo-ooh, call them the diamond dogs
Oo-oo-ooh, call them the diamond dogs
Bow-wow, woof woof, bow-wow, wow
Call them the diamond dogs
Dogs
Call them the diamond dogs, call them, call them
Call them the diamond dogs, call them, call them, ooo
Call them the diamond dogs
Keep cool
Diamond dogs rule, ok
Hey-hey-hey-hey
Beware of the diamond dogs
Beware of the diamond dogs
Beware of the diamond dogs
Beware of the diamond dogs
Beware of the diamond dogs
song performed by by David Bowie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Love Me Love My Dog
We are an animal loving nation
but dogs are the number one pet
we spoil our canines rotten
and give all our money to the vet.
Dogs become part of the family
they get fed all the best grub
they get taken on long walks
and even get to go to the pub.
Old people like their company
and youngsters love them too
even when they leave dog mess
because they can't go to the loo.
They like to guard our homes
keep watch when we go out
they warn us with their barking
if there's a stranger about.
Some dogs are very strong
and are built for a fight
but others are very gentle
and would never give you a bite.
There are dogs which are lazy
and just like to sit and rest
whilst some are full of life
with lots of energy and zest.
But they make great friends
if they're treated right then
they'll want to be with you
during the day and the night.
So yes we do love our dogs
even when they leave their mess
but I do wish there was a breed
that could talk and play Chess!
poem by Kevin Halls
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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When two dogs fight for a bone, and the third runs off with it, there's a lawyer among the dogs.
No Quarter
Close the door, put out the light.
No, they wont be home tonight.
The snow falls hard and dont you know?
The winds of thor are blowing cold.
Theyre wearing steel thats bright and true
They carry news that must get through, oooh
They choose the path where no-one goes.
They hold no quarter, they hold no quarter.
Walking side by side with death
The devil mocks their every step
The snow drives back the foot thats slow
The dogs of doom are howling more
They carry news that must get through
To build a dream for me and you
They choose the path where no-one goes.
They hold no quarter, they ask no quarter.
The pain, the pain without quarter.
They ask no quarter.
Yeah! without quarter, quarter, yeah!
The dogs of doom are howling more!
I hear the dogs of doom are howling more!
song performed by by Led Zeppelin
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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