An Ode to the Stray Dogs Of Punggol
I don’t know how I ended up here
Paying the penance for someone else’s inconsiderate actions
Lonely I wander, the product of irresponsible breeding
In this place I once called my home
But if this is home, I long for a new one
These were once forests so familiar to me
They are now strange and hostile and I am so scared
Strange things are happening, dogs are disappearing, and I feel deep despair
Each night I cry myself to sleep, for I feel my life slipping away as I dream
I feel so weak, will I survive I dare to wonder to myself?
I’m sick of baking in the heat, hoping that the rain will come and release me
Each day I rummage in the bin, hoping that some scraps will sooth my aching stomach, but it is never enough…how long will it be before I starve?
I dream that someone will open up their heart and take care of me
That they will look into my eyes and see my gentle soul and personality
And all the warmth and affection I have to give
I dream that instead of shouting or throwing a stone at me
That they will see my innocence and soothe my fears away
When the men come to take the others away I say to myself
“I’m not a demon – I’m a dog.”
How I long to be looked in the eye with a smile, stroked and loved
How I long to be in the warm bosom of a family
But sometimes I feel like my time will never come
Is there someone?
