Myrt

Lonesome, homesick, whining too

Drooping ears, eyes blazing fire

Wondering why the boys don’t come

Frightened, straining at the wire.

Dogs don’t come to school you know

Rules of Health prevent it hence

Myrt’s master took a strand of wire

Tied her to the school yard fence.

All the boys at noon will go

To the school yard fence and feed

Myrt with choicest bits of food

Ah! For once they fail of greed.

Oh! The friendship there must be

Twixt the master and his dog

People often fail to see

Doubt their hearts and minds befog.

Then – with patience – nay not so

None that virtue her accuse

With impatience Myrt awaits

He who’ll free her after school.

Written by Ida May Schaffer

July 30, 1922

Age of 16