In Which Poncho The Pug Gets The Jump On Santa

Pug-sitting, and it really could be worse;

The dogs were all alone from 6 a.m.

To 5 p.m. I could have had to curse

Disasters on the floors from one of them

(Or maybe both); some business or some torn

And shredded shoes - he's just a baby yet,

Is Poncho - but there's nothing to adorn

The carpet that smells foul. "Like, hey, no sweat,"

He seems to say, the puppy who's my guest,

"Eleven hours? Hey, I am young and tough,

And crate-trained so I know it's for the best

That I don't make a mess indoors. 'Twas rough,

Though, to withstand temptation all the way,

But packages get opened anyway!"

BONUS SONNET: The Night Of The Pug

The pug that will be Kevin's lives quite far

From Cheyenne town; to see him took a trip

That we were glad to make in Kevin's car,

But Michael took his own 'cause he's too hip

To wait around to watch us old folks coo.

'Twas fine until we made the journey back,

And Michael slid right off the road and through

A fence. Looked like a crash! My heart attack!

Call 911! A deputy arrived,

With wisecracks in his police car, and coached

My boys through their first tire change, contrived

To make it all quite funny. Then he broached

The subject, pouring on the drawling flatt'ry,

Of just how dead was our poor Kevin's batt'ry.

In Which I Prepare To Help Start A Family

Tonight, just when my work day fin'ly ends,
A charming duty calls me on a trip.
My mission is to introduce two friends
One with a puppy, one who's going to flip
When he meets Poncho Pug, the new recruit
To our small doggie circle. He will join
A motley crew: a collie, two shitzpoos,
A yorkie and another. I enjoin
This doggie-dad-to-be from shedding tears,
(But prob'ly he will anyway) when he
Meets his new pal. We'll all give forty cheers
To have a baby dog around the scene
Perturbing our friend's life and his routine.