august whammy

oh oh
august is here.
whaddya know
the X month.
the dreaded time in every hound's life.
ok, cool it.
there's no use hyperventilating.


Dr. Joseph, the dude vet
once told my keeper
about the dreaded month of august
where all sorts of thingamajig
attack hounds like us!

drJ based this observation
from the cases brought to his clinic.
come to think of it
the only time i got sick
was in august years ago!?!

i remember that time
because that was when
the houndsinheaven had mange!
the scene was too gory
like straight out of a horror flick:
the black hounds were scratching like mad
until you see blood oozing out to reveal
ghastly sore flesh and balding body
after all that heavy shedding. yech!

the keeper was distraught.
she mustered her healing energies
begged for herbs, potions,
called on all the gods and goddesses
to no avail . . .


but when drJ took one look at it
he prescribed with authority: "program"
what sophistry!
the program is a series of shots
administered weekly for a month
to relieve and cure mange.
it worked like magic!
in a week, the black hounds stopped scratching.
week 2: the sores dried.
week 3: new furs started sprouting
like fresh grass after the rain.
week 4: hounds back to normal!



behold, the program!
this time, the keeper's chants & brew
lost to the miracle of drugs!


but that was almost two years ago
and since then we always watch out
for august dread. just in case . . .
keeper goes poking around our furs,
kennels and surroundings
fumigating us with her incense and bells
and probably giving us asthma
and ear ache for a change!


drJ's warning must have inspired other august dread.
i heard keeper say the other day
that her friend will postpone
moving to her new house
scheduled this august
because somebody said
it is the "ghost month"!
omigosh, should that scare me?
itsy-bitsy month and now what-
a ghost month?!?
does that mean that i'll be seeing
the 'white lady'? mwa-ha-haw. . .

to add to the toxic scene
keeper said that planet mars
will get close to earth
and will be visible all of august.
it would appear like two moons
in the sky at midnight.

frankly, i'm bored.
not another full moon specter.
it is not enough that i have to stay
with my keeper when she takes
her monthly 'full-moon bath'
but now i'll be keeping her company
at midnight and suffer the pesky mosquitoes!

sweepy, this is a once in a lifetime thing!
the next time this happens we won't be around to witness it!

and by those charming words
my boring fate is sealed.
i guess i'll just take refuge in knowing
that the next time another planet
comes to cuddling near earth
i would have reincarnated
into a witch shaman,
keeper of the hounds. . .