Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ZIP, by OLIVER MURRAY EDWARDS



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ZIP, by                    
First Line: Zip, pomeranian, an oversized pet
Last Line: Unless they have autos in dogland as well.
Subject(s): Animals; Dogs


Zip, pomeranian, an oversized pet—
Those who knew him in life remember him yet.
He was ever alert, was wise in his head,
He could reason things out and knew all we said.
Son of "Awfully Mite" and "Little Snowball,"
He was very much big while they were quite small.
Had they met their young son, they'd have yelped "Good night!"
Have met with disdain or been eaten at sight.

Zip weighed twenty pounds while they weighed three and four,
But Zip himself thought that he weighed a lot more.
When he got in a fight then he was the one,
When licked to a frazzle, who thought he had won.
All covered with blood from his Eagle Bay fight,
Just a bath in a tub, and he was all right.
Once he fought with two bull dogs, and lost some hair
From scalding hot water they poured on him there.

Brought home in a cart, mud was his chief hurt,
His need soap and water to wash off the dirt.
Not lacking in wisdom—he was not a nut—
His trouble was "cocky," he never was "mutt."
Thrice with automobiles he claimed right-of-way;
With a very slight bump they bade him "good-day."
One time when a cycle wheel gave him a whirl,
Quite broken in spirit, his tail lost its curl.

To ride in an auto was his greatest delight;
He always was ready by day or by night.
The sound of the horn he would know from afar;
When seated in front, it was he owned the car.
If a cylinder missed he'd turn half around,
Cock his head to one side and hark to the sound.
He oft gave the chauffeur a kiss and a hug,
Sitting there by his side with manner most smug.

His acquaintance was large, his calling list big,
He was a Beau Brummel—somewhat of a prig.
Two sight-seeing tours 'round the Lake we relate,
One tour was alone, one with Soudan as mate.
Soudan was an airedale, the two oft would ride
On launches and steamers and captains defied;
Both at camp and hotel, at dock and at pier,
They would come and be seen, and then disappear.

At hotels they would dine for Zip could appeal,
With manner resistless his wants could reveal;
He would sit up and beg 'til guests would respond
With tidbits and morsels of which he was fond.
He would enter the kitchens expressing his need
Demanding they give him a substantial feed;
So confident was he, no appeal was in vain,
They gave him his fill and then said, "Come again!"

When cornered at last, their return was in state,
A sight to remember, a tale to relate,—
In their own private launch, a world famous ride,
On the rear seat they sat, those two, side by side.
Zip, now with his fathers in Dogland, I know,
Still watches his brothers and airships below.
However they keep him, I never can tell,
Unless they have autos in Dogland as well.





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