
The word “White” brought to mind two white beasts that live with me- my West Highland Terrier dogs, Cloudy and Snowball,
For those unfamiliar with this dog breed, it has a somewhat sad history. Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm, bred it after shooting one of his reddish-brown Terriers (possibly a Cairn Terrier) during a hunt.
And so it is that I write a tribute poem to the West Highland Terrier. Enjoy!
૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (◕ᴥ◕ʋ)૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (
They drenched me in white,
Pale ghost in Highland’s heath–
To stand out from rustle and spite
To live, not embrace death.
૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (◕ᴥ◕ʋ)૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (
So the hunter’s eye floundered–
“Too close in red, like a fox,” he said,
He pulled the rifle’s trigger
And left my small form crumpled.
૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (◕ᴥ◕ʋ)૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (
Not just a ball of fur,
Or just white on the plains
But a heart, warm and sincere,
Torn by silent strain.
૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (◕ᴥ◕ʋ)૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (
Now every Snowball howls gently–
Furballs borne of pain,
They do survive, an honoured gentry,
Pure strength in what remains.
૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (◕ᴥ◕ʋ)૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (
૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (◕ᴥ◕ʋ)૮₍ •ᴥ• ₎ა ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ ₍՞•ﻌ•՞₎ (
If you like this story, do join me on Patreon! Buy this blog a coffee — it keeps the words flowing and the lights on! ☕Your kind donation via Paypal would be greatly appreciated!
Please find a book of my horror microfiction, Echoes in the Dark, free for download here.