I Follow Master

I follow Master.

Master is strong.

Master is wise.

Master is my master,

So I follow Master.

 

Master cares about me.

Master knows what is good

And what is bad.

And shows me

Which is which.

 

Master protects me.

Master keeps me behind a great barrier

Where I eat and drink and sleep.

The great barrier protects me

On all sides,

And is made of wood and twisted metal

So that none can break it.

 

Master teaches me.

Master screams in fear

And pushes me away

With all his strength

When I do something

That I am not supposed to.

I am reminded of these dangers

By the scars and scratches and blood

Master leaves on my brown fur

So I do not forget.

 

Master loves me,

And I love Master,

And will defend him

From whatever dangers

That get close.

 

There! One draws near now.

A creature like myself,

Except grey fur instead of brown

And with a look of madness

In its eyes.

I bark at it.

I scratch at it.

I bite at it.

I do anything to protect Master,

Who cheers for me

With his friends on the side.

 

The creature is fierce.

The creature is murderous.

The creature seeks to rip Master open

As it tries to do the same to me.

I see by its rabid behavior

That it has no love,

That it has no friend,

That it has no master,

That it has none of the gifts Master gives me.

That it is only filled with anger

And hatred

And insanity,

And only wants to kill.

 

It bruises me.

It makes me bleed.

Yet I keep fighting

To defend Master.

With all my strength,

I leap for this creature of madness,

As I go for its throat.

 

 

The fight is over.

The battle is won.

I have defended Master.

I take a moment to lick my wounds,

As the creature collapses, dying,

Blood spilling from its throat,

And gashes scattered all over

Its brown fur.

 

I glance at my Master,

Who cheers for my success

As he trades green leaves with his friends.

I pant heavily, relieved for Master’s safety.

For I love Master.

I defend Master.

I follow Master.

Comments

Pangolin the Poet

This was amazing.  I had no idea what it was about until the fourth stanza, and then I had to go back and reread.  Really sad and good at the same time.

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