Lina

Lina, Bina, Bina Boo

What shall I ever do with you

You were so small you should have died

I held you close and prayed and cried

Within my pocket, your favorite place

Each time I checked I saw your face

A face so sweet, so tiny, so frail

Please dear God, don’t let me fail

I’d put you on your mother’s breast

Then from a bottle you’d have the rest

I tried to keep you safe and warm

To weather out the raging storm

I was so proud as you got strong

And with the rest you’d get along

You always stayed the little runt

When in that crowd I’d have to hunt

You formed a special bond to me

And from all people you would flee

It’s hard to find a home for you

With all the hiding that you do

People come to say hello

Then right behind my back you go

You sometimes take a little peek

You come across too mild and meek

You act so scared they think you’ll bite

And if they pushed it, you just might

I know the reason, I can see

You want to stay and live with me

I wish that you could understand

To just accept a stranger’s hand

To learn that they can be kind too

So gentle they would be with you

But you’ve decided on your own

The size of your own comfort zone

If someone steps within your space

Behind me once again you race

You love to go within the car

Whether near or whether far

As long as you are by my side

You never feel the need to hid

But in your home when people come

You let me know that you aren’t dumb

You take a look, then walk away

Sometimes for their entire stay

When they coax you with a treat

Their eyes you won’t allow to meet

You look at me as if to say

Please tell them all to go away

So once again you win the game

I only have myself to blame

I kept you way to close to me

A dog you weren’t allowed to be

A friend said that the reason was

You were a homely ball of fuzz

She didn’t see what I saw there

Your beauty under all that hair

I kept you safe from all the world

Within my pocket you stayed curled

As long as it was the two of us

You never seemed to make a fuss

You worked so hard to stay alive

I coaxed you so to help you thrive

You won the battle, yes you did

That homely title you surely rid

When people see you now they stop

A compliment or two they’ll drop

Still small you are, lean and petite

A more beautiful dog I’ll never meet

You’ll probably stay the next ten years

Unless I work you through your fear

Maybe I don’t push you though