Happy Birthday Mark Twain

Today marks the 177th anniversary of Samuel Clemens,AKA Mark Twain father of American literature and animal lover (here is the link to our review of Mark Twain's Book of Animals, a great read for any animal lover or Twain fan  link)

I have been studying the traits and dispositions of the "lower animals" (so called) and contrasting them with the traits and dispositions of man. I find the result humiliating to me. 

 

Poem in Your Pocket Day

Today is Poem in Your Pocket Day and so we are sharing a poem from the adorable book Doggerel: Poems About Dogs:

My Comforter

(Anonymous) 

The world had gone all wrong that day

And tired and in despair, 

Discouraged with the ways of life,

I sank into my chair.

A soft caress fell on my cheek,

My hands where thrust apart,

And two big sympathizing eyes

Gazed down into my heart.

I  had a friend; what cared I now

For fifty worlds? I knew

One heart was anxious when I grieved---

My dog's heart, loyal, true.

"God bless him," breathed I soft and low,

And hugged him close and tight.

One lingering lick upon my ear 

And we were happy---quite.