( ON A PICTURE OF A MUZZLED PUPPY ENTITLED " ALL I DID WAS
GROWL A LITTLE BIT " )

Yes , here I 'm muzzled, fast and tight,
From North to South, from West to East —
I, who have hardly learned to bite,
And never harmed a human beast.
They said, because I ran and hid,
I went to have a private fit;
They called me mad, when all I did
Was growl a little bit.

And when they doused me soaking wet,
They poked me out with pole and broom,
And caught me in a horrid net,
And dragged me to a dirty room.
And when I panted as I slid,
They said " Aha! " and kicked and hit
And used the hose. But all I did
Was growl a little bit.

But Freddy, when they went away,
Brought a big rag to sop me up,
And lovely waffles on a tray,
And new milk in a china cup.
He fed me through the net, dear kid,
And said, " Now take some more of it. "
I could n't thank him: all I did
Was growl a little bit.

It hurts me most to make my bed
In such a dusty, dirty mess.
For " cleanliness, " my father said,
" Is next, my dears, to dogliness.
Now, puppies, do as you are bid, "
He said; " be gentledogs or quit. "
Of course he knew that all I did
Was growl a little bit.

" Don't get big heads like Cerberus.
Or bay the Dog-star late at night;
Be brave, and don't be quarrelous,
But when you 're forced to fighting, fight. "
I 've sniffed at many a pantry-lid.
And barked at cats that scream and spit,
But this time, surely, all I did
Was growl a little bit.

There 's a fine place, my mother thinks,
Where good dogs go when they are dead.
But my wise father only blinks
And gnaws his bone, and shakes his head.
But they agree I 'll not be chid
Up there, nor muzzled, kicked, or hit,
If it is sure that all I did
Was growl a little bit.