Daily Exercise - A Poem

Out of the door and onto the deck
Snuffling and scrambling and running like heck.
Down the back steps and into the yard
The sinews all stiffen and muscles get hard.
A sniff and a snort and I suddenly know:
A squirrel has been here, and it must go!

With nose on the ground and tail in the air,
I track the vile varmint to who-knows-where.
Round the big maple and past the yard barn,
Into the swale and over yon tarn,
By the wood pile and past the back gate,
'Round the blue spruce -- it's not too late!

Staring at me is the evil red squirrel,
Eyes staring wide at The Beagle Queen Perl.
Standing stock still, holding onto his nuts,
With a blink he takes off and to the tree scuts!
With a howl and a flash the chase is now on!
I'm closing the gap with raw beagle brawn!

Under the oak and around the small bush,
I nearly catch up and nip on his tush!
Tail hairs I spit as I catch up again,
One day I'll get it, I just don't know when
He'll slow and I'll bite, it may be today!
I'm closing so fast he won't get away!

From under the deck there arises a clatter
Of a beagle awaking to see what is the matter.
Beauregard ambles out to the yard,
The squirrel runs under and I hit him hard!
We tumble and stop and I rub my nose.
Some days you can't win, that's just how it goes.