Poem by Mitchell Krasney, Grade 8

Between twilight and dawn my two dogs rest in their kennel dreaming of adventures to come.
With the sounds of the morning, they eagerly awake to start their daily routine.
By my side in the bathroom they wag their tails against my legs and lick my toes until they're numb.

After a while, they bark at the back door to announce their need to be part of the exterior scene.
Outside the house, they escape from the porch to explore our expansive grounds.
Without a care, they chase a butterfly with speed too great that they run into a window screen.

Through the newly planted garden they trudge over the petunias and marigolds while my mom frowns.
Beyond the white picket fence they see a deer frolicking in front of an old rock wall.
Despite their stumpy paws, they race with all their might to catch their prey like typical hunting hounds.

Near the woods, they stop beneath a weeping willow finding more interest in a slimy tennis ball.
Above their heads a bright red cardinal swiftly flies by and gracefully lands on a wooden bird feeder.
Up the steep hill in an attempt to slip behind the unaware bird the two mutts crawl.

Past a thorny rose bush and a patch of daylillies, they finally freeze underneath a northern white cedar.
Toward the feeder they dart without delay, but soon the bird simply soars away into the afternoon sky.
Before sunset with their tails tucked under their bodies they return home neither one wanting to be the leader.