Dog Gone (19 page)

Mum!

Lucky spotted Mum, too, and nearly yanked my arm off as he tried to bolt up the road. The sudden jerk made me drop the bucket, and the fish slithered out onto the footpath. There was no stopping to put it back. Lucky was bounding towards Mum and pulling me along behind him.

‘Don't let it get away!' I yelled back at Brody.

Mum had the biggest smile on her face. ‘Well, hello, Ish. Hello, Lucky.'

‘Mum! You're a day early.'

‘Thought I'd surprise you.'

‘It's so great you're back!'

She opened her arms. ‘Did I miss anything?'

Ish's Poetry Journal

Dear Ish,

A place for your poems

Poetry - the best words in the best order

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Love Grandpa

Photo

Sitting on our log

by the river

my Grandpa, my dog

and me

not moving

not talking

just fishing

Surprise before bedtime

It's what dogs do

bury bones

they can't help it

Molly is screaming

her head off

it must have happened again

she thinks it was me

but I've seen him do it

Lucky buries his bones

under her pillow

sometimes the bone

is a dead bird

full of maggots

or my dirty jocks

Mum's gardening shoe

or a muddy footy sock

I wonder what it is

This time?

Lucky

Just me and Dad

in the bush

no houses for miles

watching the sunset

by a river

something limps out

from behind a log

it's a puppy

about six months old

same number

as my boy years

I could count his ribs

if I wanted

he's lucky we found him

says Dad

yes

I say

he's Lucky

A Bad Bite

Lucky lies on the vet's table

he's breathing

like a steam train

puff puff puff puff

I pat his damp brown fur

with long slow strokes

an hour ago

we were building a campfire

the tiger snake was still

in its hiding place

A Fight

Mum and Dad are in the kitchen

shouting

I'm under the pear tree

I don't want to hear the words

neither does Lucky

he's got his head on my knee

his ears down

Afternoon Tea

I arrive home from school

to a cinnamon smell –

Mum's in the kitchen

going nuts

Lucky's in the corner

ears flat

tail between his legs

Mum's best plate

is in pieces

on the floor

and there's no sign

of the muffins

Writer Dog

This is a true story

well - sort of

I leave the computer on

when we go to the shops

Mum, Molly and me

pile into the car

and leave Lucky behind

when we get back

there's a message

on the screen

ddddddddddddooogggggggsssssssrrrrrrrrrrrrrooooooooollllllllllll

Old Drippy Nose

I've been lumped with a teacher called Beech

Whose voice makes a horrible screech

She looks like a witch

And casts spells with a twitch

She's so ugly, she gives me the creeps!

He's Leaving

I want to block out the sound

put my hands over my ears

so I can't hear

the beep beep beep

of the removalist truck

reversing down our drive

I sit on the floor

in the empty spot

where he used to rock

in his chair

with his feet up

I throw my arms

around Lucky's neck

bury my face in his fur

and rock and rock and rock

Unexpected Delivery

It's the man who delivered our new freezer on Friday

standing at our front door

he's holding my dog in his arms

Lucky tries to wag his tail

it only does one flick

mum is crying

dad is calling the vet

today is Tuesday

no one saw Lucky climb in

that van could have been

a coffin

Together

In the hammock with Lucky

swinging

I tell him funny stories

he's looking at me

twisting his head

from side to side

one ear up

and one down

my dog's funnier than

my best joke

Picnic Lunch

We're at the park

Lucky and me

I'm teaching him

to walk without his lead

some people are

on a rug in the sun

a boy has a remote control plane

it whizzes over my head

and I watch for a minute

then there's a scream

the people on the rug

are yelling

and chasing after Lucky

he runs past

with their whole chicken

A Dog's Life

Lucky

do you think it's unfair

you don't get to

go to the movies

eat chocolate

(except when you stole

Molly's Easter egg

with the smarties inside)

drive a car

sit up at the table

sleep under a doona

tell people what to do

visit Mr Ironclad anytime

play computer games

read books

be in a footy team

go for a walk whenever you like

give humans treats if they're good?

Life must suck

for a dog

In trouble

It's a silly idea

to give my old teddy

a haircut with

Dad's electric shave

but I can't stop myself

the whirr

of blades spinning fast

the smoky smell of

blades jammed with fur

Lucky and me

keeping it all a secret

Award Ceremony

I'm in the front row

with my family

Mum, Dad, Gran, Molly and Lucky

a man makes a speech

about dogs who are brave

and clever

like Lucky

soon I will walk him

onto the stage

the boy who pushed Gran over

and stole her handbag

never had a chance

My name

You've got a stupid name

my sister raves

it's not even short for anything

Ish, Ish stinks like a fish

come on

come and fight! Molly lifts the stick

I step back

Lucky growls

bares his teeth

you always hide behind

that stupid dog

Hand Knitted

We're helping Gran with the washing

I'm only eight and I can't reach the line

so I hold the pegs

Gran asks Molly about the jumper

the one she knitted all Autumn

the one that Molly told me

is scratchy and horrible

Molly tells Gran a fib

it fell out of the bus window

on the way home

from the shops

I know where it is

so does my digger dog

he drops it at Gran's feet

all covered in dirt

Over he Goes

Lucky's taking a run at the fence

the bang of Mr Ironclad's back door

clicks a switch

in my dog's brain

he scrambles up the cross beams

balances on the top

and over he goes

Mr Ironclad

doesn't mind at all

My Dog Can sing

Seven candles

burn bright on my cake

Mum, Dad, Molly and Lucky

yes Lucky!

sing happy birthday to me

for the first time

he howls it in tune

with the song

(but only ever for

happy birthday)

Tuned in

I think my dog's psychic

or is it his supersonic hearing?

he has a thing going

with Gran's next door neighbour

how do I know Mr Ironclad

is five minutes away in his car?

Lucky is running

backwards and forwards

between the front

and back doors

barking the cups

off their saucers

Tipsy

Lucky is going nuts

the rubbish truck

is just outside

my crazy dog barks

and runs around in circles

gets so dizzy

you'd think he'd nicked

a swig or two

of Dad's gin

Strange

First it's Molly's new scarf

then Mum's calculator

the gas bill, the tea cosy

my watch and Mum's red beret

all missing for weeks

when we rearrange the lounge room

for my birthday sleepover

we find them

(and five socks)

in a pile behind the couch

my dog thinks he's a bowerbird!

Lap Dog

My dog

does

a

curious thing

he only

drinks

from

his bowl

lying

down

Winning Goal

My dog would make

a great full forward

he's on to the ball

before it hits the ground