War Poems: Muse to Remember - (By David Hurt)

The Lost Boy and His Pup - (By David Hurt)

There was a deafening roar all around me,

With sirens,

Planes,

The cries of young and old.

Shards of brick, glass,

You name it,

It all came hurtling my way...

Then,

I heard the soft cries and whimpering

Of a small boy and his pup off in the distance...

I thought to myself;

What would a small boy and his pup be doing out here,

In the dark, amidst the fog,

 All by themselves.

So I investigated their whereabouts to an alleyway

And there they were.

All alone,

Frightened

And shabby,

Due to being caught up in the blasts and all.

So I took them back to mine,

Made the boy a nice hot cuppa with a jam sarnie  

And the pup a warm plate of my last meagre leftovers

Of bacon and ham

And some warm milk...

After they finished their fill,

They both looked tired.

Understandable really,

When you think of what they've been through.

All alone in that dark fogged up alley.

No mother,

No father.

 The horrors they must have seen...

My heart still breaks now

Thinking about it.

Especially when a few days after they had recuperated,

They both saved my life...

"Oh I'm sorry Millie,

You’re just my nurse

Trying to give me an 'elth check.

 You don't want to hear me blabbering on

About the olden days as they say."

"Oh I don't mind,

Really,

Please carry on.

 It was just starting to get interesting.

 You mentioned something about the boy and his pup

Saving your life."

"Oh well,

 If you insist Millie.

 For you,

 As your so kind to listen..."

Yes,

It was on the six day

 After they recuperated.

 We were queuing for some bacon and ham slices

At the local butchers.

 As you know,

I gave my last leftovers to the pup.

 Anyway,

Suddenly

There was this young man

And he stole my purse.

 Right out me 'and he did.

 I could walloped him

If I could've run fast enough to grab 'im.

The cheek.

Anyway,

The boy,

Only nine poor thing,

Then ran after him.

The pup too.

Brave they were.

I couldn't believe it.

The boy,

Had grabbed his legs.

Making 'im fall to ground.

While the pup,

Grabbed my purse

And brought it back to me.

Then;

The poor boy

Was being held up against the wall,

By the thug that stole my purse.

I screamed for help

And again the pup ran off towards the thug.

Then he started pulling at his trousers.

The thug tried to shrug him off,

But as he was doing so

He was caught by an officer of the law

Who heard my cry for help...

The officer then picked the boy up

And placed him on his shoulders.

There was a cheer from the crowd,

 I was ever so proud.

Then it occurred to me,

 I should adopt.

Adopt them both.

They felt as if they were mine anyhow,

Especially when they made me feel so proud.

 So I did.

 I adopted them both...

The boy became a police officer

And the pup became a police officer too.

 Well you know what I mean.

 There finished,

 The rest is history as they say.

"Wow,

 That was...

Wow..."