Dessie Lu – A Hero True

By Linda Grisley
With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore

Twas a late fall evening and all thru the yard
Our Dessie was sniffing without any regard
She could see through the window that mum was right there
and the evening was lovely, she hadn’t a care.

She hoped for good supper before time for bed
and visions of table scraps danced in her head.
While Jen made the food and Joe in his cap
had just settled down for a pre-dinner nap.

When out in the back lane there rose such a clatter
Dessie sprang into action – what was the matter?
Down by the back fence, the sound it was growing.
She ran to go see without even knowing
When what to her wondering eyes should appear
But a robber, a bad guy, someone to fear.
She knew in a moment he did not belong
“How dare he!”, thought Dessie, “I’ll show him he’s wrong.”
And he shouted and screamed as Des took him down
“Hang on to that trouser, hang on to that arm
Don’t let him get past here, don’t let him escape
There’s nothing at my house for this guy to take!”

Then in a twinkling who should appear
But the local policeman, bringin’ up the rear
He followed the bad guy right over the fence.
But Des knew the difference, and to him she went
With tail all a’waggin’ and gleam in her eye
She said to the policeman – “He’s yours now, good guy!”

The police arrested that robber, you see
And gave Dessie the credit for hero she be
So our little Kerry, the mill dog we saved
Has now earned her freedom and new roads she’s paved.
The spunk she had buried in a life full of fear
was now being used to protect her home here.

May all of our rescues take heart from her story.
Life can be good now, no longer to worry.
For with your new family, and strength from above
You, too, can be hero for someone you love.