I felt compelled to search this out;
At least, I felt it in my heart
When all at once, and all around, and giving me a start,
A myriad of faces, all different ... yet, the same
And, suddenly I realized, I knew them each by name.

The first one I met was a sweet bully lady
With a smile just as lovely, who else, but Sadie,
She asked me to follow, to meet all the rest
And made me feel welcome, as bullies do best.

A trio of sweethearts all came on the run
They seemed to be racing, and having such fun!
It was hard to determine which of them had won
Was it Hope? or Nala? or grandson, Cajun?

Then I heard the babies … yip yapping galore
When I tried to find them, they yipped and yapped some more,
These are the little ones, playing at their games;
The newbies .. the stillborns .. the ones with no names,
With soft brown eyes and warm pink noses
And their breath, oh their breath …
 "The Canine Scent of Roses".
They said, they’d better hurry or they would miss their chance
To have a class with Nala and learn the ‘kidney bean dance,
It’s a step to the left and bend your bumm around
Try to walk forward with four paws on the ground.

I wondered if the seasons changed or stayed this way all time
Logan bade me come and see the differences in clime;
"Summer," said he, with obvious glee, "is made for bully fun
To swim and boat, for those who float, or just bask in the sun."
"Spring", shouted Lucy, with her sleepy toy in tow "is
Waking up to flowers and their many color tones,
When all the trees instead of leaves,
Burst forth with doggie bones."
"In winter", said Backup, "time to do what I do best
It’s for sharing a blanket and dream a bully dream
When all the white is pure delight, and made of ice cream."
Fall, umm fall, it’s Candy apple time; for skating in the leaves
For romping in the park and running up a slope,
For playing on the front porch … Mack, tugging on a rope.

Well, hello there, Morgan, I see Elfie by your side
I’m glad you came to welcome me and be my newest guide,
I have a strong desire to meet your Queen Mum
And tell your Grand Dame, Icee, I love your Bullydom.
I’d tell her of the gems I saw, like the pretty little pearl,
The lovely white lady, the sweetest, Connie Girl.
Such memories I’ll take with me to ponder in my nights
Like Chloe Cloud Walker, who shared all my delights.

I’m overwhelmed .. I can’t believe .. Bullies everywhere!!
And on the hill is Jackpot blowing kisses on the air,
There’s Winston and Winnie and Tyler, by golly ..
Suki and Toki and even Miss Molly ..
There’s Gitchie and Gucci and my friend, Fred ..
Abbi and Mozzy, and look! Big Red!
There’s London and Cooki; why that’s Buddy and Bud ..
My gosh, there’s Zippy and Chin su, the stud.

I see Mugsy and Pugsley and Peaches and Pickle ..
Golda and Maxwell, Taffy and Rickel ..
Lassie and Laddie, Girlie and Boy
Bootsy and Tootsie and Jill’s Tinker Toy!

What fun to be surrounded by each soft and smooshy facie
And getting lots o’ bully hugs from Tasha and from Gracie!
From Clarence, Sarge, Rocky, Briggs and Missy ..
A great big bully slobber kissy!
There’s Spring and Felina 1, 2 and 3
And Orio Cookie barking at me!!

With all of these babies I wish I could see
My own sweet bully, who had to leave me,
Just when I thought I’d not see his face
Red Dog came shuffling at his special pace,
Into my arms he leapt with such joy
And once again I held my own bully boy!

It seemed just a moment and then he was gone
But, left me with this, to you, to pass on …
"Lock in your heart that special part
of them in your memories,
they’re there to remember and there to recall,
there ‘til the day when each heeds the call ...
"Come to the Bridge … Come join the kids …
Come, to the Bully Dog Ball".

©Lorraine Fitzpatrick