The Gift

When I was a young man
My dad gave me two dogs,
And among all the gears in my life
Those dogs were two of the cogs.

Lady and Mike were beagle dogs
As rabbit dogs they were the best,
A rabbit was sure in trouble
When you put them on their quest.

Man how I loved those dogs
They sure were the perfect gift,
My dad sure knew a young man's heart
And how to give it a lift.

Lady stood fifteen inches
With brown eyes that would melt your heart,
Her excitement was contagious
As we were getting ready to start.

Mike was two inches shorter
And cantankerous as he could be,
But he sure warmed my heart
And was a best friend to me.

I'd met him a year or two earlier
While hunting with friends of my dad,
And when they were shipped overseas
Mike was given to this lucky lad.

Lady belonged to another service man
When he left I was given her care,
And when he finally came back
They just couldn't break up this pair.

And oh the memories I have
My dad shouting as loud as he could,
"He's coming to you Russ,"
My dogs coming out of the wood.

Tails wagging as they followed the scent
Their bell tones, music to my ears,
Their love and the warmth of my father
Made me ready to face all my fears.

Every evening right after school
I'd head out with dogs in tow,
I knew every fence post and brush pile
And just where a rabbit would go.

Every boy should have a dog
They're someone to share his love,
Of course I have to thank my dad
For the memories I'm speaking of.

So thank you dad for the memories
Those dogs were gifts of love for sure,
I was a lonely young man
And those dogs were just the cure.

Words by RussC

Aka Tenn-Hills

8-22-04

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Colors Of The Wind

By Vanessa Williams