From Justine - a poem that says it all

A little while ago I received an email from Justine, who had read this blog. She enclosed this poem saying "I thought it was really beautiful when I read it and immediately I thought about the fantastic work that you all do at A.C.E."  It's taken me a while to post it, sorry about that, but many thanks to Justine for sending it. The pictures of Wayne come from the Dutch blog, posted by Ineke and from the A.C.E. website. Thanks for those too.

Wayne, living on the streets

Once I was a lonely dog,
 Just looking for a home.
 I had no place to go,
 No one to call my own.
 I wandered up and down the streets,
 in rain, in heat, and snow.
 I ate whatever I could find,
 I was always on the go.

My skin would itch, my feet were sore,
 My body ached with pain,
 And no one stopped to give a pat
 Or to gently say my name.
 I never saw a loving glance,
 I was always on the run.
 For people thought that hurting me
 was really lots of fun.

And then one day I heard a voice
 So gentle, kind and sweet,
 And arms so soft reached down to me
 And took me off my feet.
 "No one again will hurt you."
 Was whispered in my ear.
 "You'll have a home to call your own
 where you know no fear."
 "You will be dry, you will be warm,
 you'll have enough to eat
 And rest assured that when you sleep,
 your dreams will all be sweet."

I was afraid, I must admit,
 I've lived so long in fear.
 I can't remember when I let
 A human come so near.

And as she tended to my wounds
 And bathed and brushed my fur
 She told me about the rescue group
 And what it meant to her.

She said, "We are a circle,
 A line that never ends.
 And in the center there is you
 protected by new friends."
 "And all around you are
 the ones who check the pounds,
 And those who share their homes
 after you've been found."
 "And all the other folks
 who are searching near and far,
 To find the perfect home for you,
 where you can be a star."

She said, "There is a family,
 that's waiting patiently,
 and pretty soon we'll find them,
 just you wait and see."
 "And then they'll join our circle
 they'll help to make it grow,
 so there'll be room for more like you,
 who have no place to go."

I waited very patiently,
 The days they came and went.
 Today's the day I thought,
 my family will be sent.
 Then just when I began to think
 it wasn't meant to be,
 there were people standing there,
 just gazing down at me.

I knew them in a heartbeat,
 I could tell they felt it too.
 They said, "We have been waiting
 for a special dog like you."

Now every night I say a prayer
 to all the gods that be.
 "Thank you for the life I live
 and all you've given me.
 But most of all protect the dogs
 in the pound and on the street.
 And send a Rescue person
 to lift them off their feet."


Wayne, safe in the Refugio.  Waiting now for his golden basket. Will you be his new family?