(I *thought * I sent this last nite.  It's still in the out basket this
morning, so here it is again)
 
To L. A. town he did  come,
Packin' ferrets and takin' names.
No one knew where he came from;
He didn't care that  folks would laugh
When he'd draw his ferrets
Like an avenging staff.
 
If truth were told, some folks would know
This angry man had a gentle soul.
A soul that  saw things  yet unseen;
A soul that could also be sometimes mean.
 
He'd heard that ferrets
Were unwelcome here.
"We'll see about that,"
He loudly cried as he gulped and finished
His very last beer.
 
He talked to actors,
He talked to clowns,
He talked to folks
In all the towns,
And found that the people were well aware
Of just another political scare.
 
He'd heard the story of a
Scared little boy
Who decided that government
Would be his toy;
Who made his plea to society
To deny the rights of
Those who are free.
 
"Ferrets are bad,"
The boy loudly  decreed.
"They eat babies and cows and other things;
We can't let them breed.
In addition to that,
They never vote for me."
 
Paw Paw from Georgia
Took one look
At this 'public servant' and
Declared him a crook;
Changed his diapers,
And told him the truth.
 
"Sonny," he drawled, in his simple way,
"It's plain to me  and to my little Guys
That you really mean well,
But your intentions of good
Will lead you only to Hell.
These ferrets you hate
Can be your friends,
They'll love you until
The world itself ends."
 
Having spoke his peace,
The Old Man sighed.
With a heavy heart,
He walked away.
He'd done his best
To  speak his mind
And to pave the way
For folks like us
To  someday be free.
 
He gave us raisins and hung his head.
In a sad, sad voice he finally said,
"I tried, you guys, you know I did.
Perhaps, next year, I can get  that kid
To listen and  to know the joys
That love and ferrets can
Bring to him."
 
To L.A. Town our Paw Paw came.
He went away because nothing changed.
On the long, long journey to our home,
We sat in his lap as we shared a tear
And prayed for more success to come
In some distant and happy year.
 
Many much hugs and dooks,
 
Tater and Odie
[Posted in FML issue 1717]