Twas the night of the 11th, a quiet night on the farm,
Tatiana's in labor, but no cause for alarm;
The papers all shredded, the heat lamp is on,
In hopes that the puppies are soon to be born;
Tatiana is nestled all snug in her bed,
perhaps visions of racing days dance in her head;
I in my ball cap, and blue overalls,
cell phone in my pocket, should I need to make calls.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the house to see what was the matter.
Away to the fencing I flew like a flash,
Tore open the gate, and threw up the latch.
The wind it was gusting, the snow it did blow,
The temperature dropping to twenty below!
I step into the puppy house, Tatiana is there,
and I sit and I pet her, and tend to her care.
Then what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a little black greyhound, so tiny and dear.
Tatiana's a natural, cleans him off with a lick,
and I knew at that moment I'd call him Lil' Nick!
More rapid than eagles the others they came,
and I whispered, and kissed them, and called them by name;
Now Dasher, now Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
Is there a Comet, a Cupid, A Donder, a Blitzen???
To the house to grab coffee, I trudge through the gales,
the snow drifts are so high, they cover fence rails!
I swig down my coffee, and grab a quick bite,
Then back to Tatiana, making sure she's alright.
As Mother Nature sometimes often will do,
I find Tatiana nursing, as though none of it's new.
It's been about 10 hours, 5 pups they do lay,
and I figure she's done, we can call it a day.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard and I saw,
The prancing and kneading of four little paws.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
From behind Tatiana, came pup 6 with a bound!
He was dressed in black fur, from his head to his toes,
and his ears were layed back just like cute little bows;
he'd arrived announced, no fanfare or bother
and it evened things out, 3 sisters, 3 brothers!
Their eyes, they won't open for several more days,
and yet uncannily find where their mother lays.
They crawl on their belly's, so strong and so bold,
an incredible feat, they're just a few moments old!
I hazard to guess Tatty's done now, she's lays,
cleaning her babies, like she'd done this for days.
We look at each other, and the pups in a line,
and I praise her, and pet her, and say "you did fine"!
With a wink of her eye, and a twist of her head,
Soon gave me to know, I had nothing to dread;
She fretted not a moment, but went straight to her work,
and filled all their belly's, and then turned with a jerk,
And laying a paw on the row of new pups,
She yawned and she stretched, and she gently stood up.
She went out to potty, and do what dogs do,
she had left me in charge of her new little "crew".
And she heard me exclaim, as I patted each little head,
You've well earned the title of Iowa Breds!
Love it!
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