My Excuse

I didn’t do my homework

but I have a good excuse.

Last night, just after dinner,

our dog got on the loose.

He ran out of our open gate,

so what else could I do?:

I had to chase right after him,

so down the lane I flew.

That dog ran to the playground

and so to stop his run,

I acted like my goal was not

to capture him — but fun.

So I jumped on the monkey bars

and climbed and swung around.

Butch thought I’d forgotten him

and then sat on the ground.

My plan was going beautifully,

but time I had to bide,

so close to Butch I slowly moved

by playing on the slide.

That dog now lay upon the grass

and I began to sing,

pretending I was full of joy —

then I moved to a swing.

I swung and sang and sang and swung

til Butch was fast asleep.

At last, I thought, the time was right

and from the swing did leap.

I leapt beside that sleeping dog

and grabbed him by the collar.

Butch jumped up but couldn’t run.

“I’ve caught you!” I did holler.

So we got home at nine o’clock,

the time I go to bed,

but cause my homework wasn’t done,

I thought that I was dead.

Then I remembered, Mrs. Blake,

you love your dog, named Bruce.

Yes, you’d have done the same as me,

and that is my excuse.