We made our home under a tree
Our roof was the branches, infinite leaves as far as the eyes can see
A home for my pups and I
It’s not much but enough for us to live by
When it rains we nestle ourselves against the trunk
When it gets too cold, against and under me is where they bunk
The roots entwined warms us with its rough texture
I protect them with my body; my fur long in rapture
Their half open eye’s look around
They are curious of everything; every smell and sound
Small paws test the dirt before running back to me
I feel pain, for the cruel world they are about to see
My limp breasts they kneed
My skin sticks to my bones, but their hunger is all I need to feed
They whimper and cry when they swallow nothing
I know they are starving
I leave in search of food
I walk for miles, suffering kicks and stones so I can feed my brood
When I near houses
My brittle skin is met by sticks, stones and hoses
With my tail between my hind legs, eye’s vigilant and in fear
They spit red paint on me, faces twisted into a leer
All I am in search of is food; my young are hungry
Why are they so angry?
As the day fades away into dusk
I am all but done with my daily task
I make my way back to my puppies
For my pups, I would face all the cruelties
I find my pups where I left them under the tree
Two are crying and the other three are finally free
I say free because they are in a better place
This cruel world does not deserve their heavenly grace
The two other pups aren’t aware they’re dead
They sleep against them, crying against their head
I dug a hole and buried them
My soul – like my body – weak and numb
I whimper and howl into the night
Under the dim moonlight
Others howled too, hearing my cries of agony
They felt my pain just as badly
The source of our pain
–the authors of our bane
By Jah they were created to care for us
Now they wouldn’t care if we were under the wheel of a bus
