Tinkerbell Is Back Poem by Gert Strydom

Slowly a small white dog
steals up on our yard in the street
with big black outstanding eyes
and she watches scared,
at every thing that she sees
as far as she walks.

There’s something familiar to her
and the small pink tongue
that hangs out of her mouth
where she stands dehydrated
against the green palisades,
the emaciated small body
on which the spinal cord
and ribs protrude
and the small tail
that wraps into the stomach
tells their own tale
of neglection
and lovelessness
and of people
that has lost all humanity.

My heart rejoices because Tinkie is back
and Tinkerbell has escaped from somewhere
and I know that there’s a Lord
that answers prayers,
but if I get hold
of the people
that had stolen her
I will loose more than just my head
and it feels as if I can kill them
with my bare hands.

Somewhere nearby
there’s a lady that sells cosmetics
and my neighbour says
that her child wanted Tinkie
and ten devils,
turn inside my heart
and the Lord
just has to keep me in check.

The front teeth are missing from kicks
and to see the tongue hanging out grudges me
and the vet is wonderful like always
and says that she will be all right with time
and treats her for everything and more
and after more than eight months,
Tinkie is disarranged
and the other dogs
wants to smell her
and my darling and I are happy
because one of our children
is back and there’s again
light and life in her eyes.