A Poem Written by "Sweetcakes"

One autumn afternoon back in October of 1996, Sweetcakes and I were outside in the backyard. After taking care of "business", she went over and sat on the patio. After a while, I noticed she was watching something - her head moving up and down and all around following it closely with her eyes. When we went back into the house, she dictated the following poem to me.

Pekingese Ponderings

"They" are all around me!
What "they" are I know not,
But I have to tell you
There sure are a lot!

They run . . . and do cartwheels!
. . . and they can fly!
I want to do those things.
As I watch them I sigh.

Daddy gathers them together.
He must think they're fine.
If I mess up his pile,
You'd think it's a crime.

Sometimes they chase me
Around the yard.
But if I try to catch a flying one
I find it's quite hard.

They are all different colors -
Some parti-color, like me.
They fall from a thing
Which Mommy calls a tree.

A noise can be heard
When on them you walk.
I think to myself,
"Is that how they talk?"

I think they're called "leaves"
All those messy multitudes,
And that is just what
I wish they would do!

by "Sweetcakes Kissybug"©
(assisted by Joanne M. Porter)
October 29, 1996

I sent the poem to a magazine called The Orient Express, which is a magazine exclusively about Pekingese dogs, and guess what? They printed it! I also sent them a photo of Sweetcakes in her Halloween costume - she was a lion that year. Here's what the page in the magazine looked like:

Here's the letter I wrote to OE with my picture of Sweetcakes and my poem:
(This was in the December, 1996 Volume XIV, Number Two issue of OE.)

"Dear OE:

We recently had a fence put up in our backyard which is truly a godsend when you have doggies. Now my babies can run around all they want and I don't have to worry about putting them on a leash. One fall afternoon in late October, I was outside with my Peke, "Sweetcakes". She was sitting on the patio, resting, after her romping around, and it seemed she was watching each and every leaf as it was fluttering down to earth from the trees. Words instantly poured into my head and I knew she was sending her thoughts to me to be put down onto paper in the form of a poem. Enclosed with this letter is a copy of the poem, Pekingese Ponderings by "Miss Sweetcakes Kissybug", which was assisted by me. "Sweetcakes" is hoping you will print it in OE.

Here is a photo of "Sweetcakes" in her Halloween costume. She was a lion. (Take away the ears and change the color of it to yellow and she could be Harpo Marx!)

Best wishes for a warm and happy Thanksgiving to all of you at OE and also hoping you all enjoy a peaceful and joyous holiday season."

Their reply:

"JOANNE - Great letter, great photo, great poem, great big thanks to you for brightening up our day with so much fun. Loved it!"

--JMcG

It was great to be published!

Here is the original picture of Sweetcakes in her lion Halloween costume
that I sent in to OE.

Note: If you are interested in finding out more information about and/or subscribing to The Orient Express, please click here.

You are listening to:
"Autumn Leaves"