10° Outside Poem by Randy McClave

It's 15° outside
And you want to go out once again,
"It's Freezing! " to you I have once again cried
I wish that you would just stay in.

You're at the door and you're still whining
You still want to go back out,
As your wants and needs I am now declining
"It's freezing outside! ", I then shout.

I look outside and I see the falling snow
It's covered my pool and my backyard,
And there you still want to excitedly go
You're a Shiba, and not a St. Bernard.

You're still looking out my French doors
And you still won't change your mind,
I don't want you to pee on my floors
And I don't want to be cruel or selfish or unkind.

It's now almost time for bed
So, I'm going to let you out this last minute,
The door is now opened now my face is turning red
Hopefully, you'll hurry back after doing your business.

You haven't returned to the back door yet
As I begin to shake and to shiver,
Maybe letting you outside was an error that I might regret
As I begin to wonder and quiver.

I now grab my heavy jacket and my flashlight
As I head outside to see where you have went,
It's hard for my eyes to transfix in the snow at night
And where you have went with your consent.

You finally returned to the back porch
As I feel and see an encroaching winter storm,
Now I turned off my torch
As you now want to come back inside and get warm.

Now we both go to our beds and off to sleep
Your actions I truly can't condemn,
Now I wake up and at the backdoor I hear you weep
I now cry, "it's 10° and just 7 am".

Randy L. McClave