Young Sam the dingo (a true story)
Never once did I try to confine him,
The young dingo I met near the dam,
We respected and trusted each other,
I affectionately named him Young Sam.
Young Sam had a habit of hiding,
'neath the wattle and tall scented gum,
He'd appear when he heard me call cooee,
With a smile saying "I knew you'd come."
I willed him to stay with me always,
But the call of the wild became strong,
He instinctively searched for a soul mate,
And a family of pups before long.
An innocent red dog with a mission,
Failed to see the young man with a gun,
Determined to scalp a wild dingo,
He chased Sam who had nowhere to run.
Sam was blasted away with a rifle,
His coat ripped and dripping with red,
I ran to his side shouting cooee,
As I held him my heart felt like lead.
All alone we sat as the sun set,
Faith and courage helped keep us both strong,
His brave heart so grimly defiant,
But before the night fell he was gone.
He sleeps now at peace in the clearing,
And again I have lost my best friend,
He was loaned to me just for a short time,
Sharing secrets and love till the end.
Matthew Forno, year 10, Coominya QLD
This poem comes from the collection Voices for the Animals - A Collection of Stories and Poems by Australian School Students .
Animal Liberation SA holds the copyright to this work. Permission is granted to teachers to make copies for their own students.