Please read the following poem and submit a photo of your Delightful Pet. You’ll be eligible to win one of 3 great prizes!

My Delightful Pet                       

I have a quite amazing pet that you have never seen

Since I have just imagined it, if you know what I mean.

He really is remarkable, in size and shape and look.

I’ve never seen one just like him in any picture book.

What I like best is his nice size, that goes from large to small.

So he goes everywhere with me, which folks don’t see at all.

His size is caused by how he eats, he simply breathes the air.

And eats unwanted parasites, that don’t belong in there.

Like smoke and dust, and carbon, too, and when he’s had enough,

he’s way to big to go outside, since he’ll just huff and puff.

Then I just wait till he gets small, and fits my pocket size.

I know if people noticed him, they’ll believe their eyes.

You’ll be surprised why he’s not fat from all the air, but then …

He has such great digestion that he just gets small again.

That’s when he fits my pocket size, so we go for walks.

There’s so much that we want to share, that we have nice long talks.

He has a mouth that he can use to smile, to talk, or eat.

All three are interchangeable, just like his fluffy feet.

The fluff is on the bottom so he won’t feel cold or heat.

One foot has toes like fingers , just for grabbing air to eat.

The third foot’s like a suction cup, for when he wants to stand

And feel secure on just one leg, I’m sure that’s what was planned.

He’s really quite unusual. He sees things through his ears

And since his sight is linked to sound, he sees the things he hears.

He’s never angry or upset, so just enjoys each day.

He laughs a lot and thinks life’s fun, in every single way.

He wonders why folks get upset with so much that can please.

That’s why he’s never suffered from our feeling bad disease.

It’s natural that he smile a lot with eyes and nose and tail.

He smiles with all the parts he has, and lets his joy prevail.

His happy nature comes with ease, he has no frowning skills.

If he should wonder what that’s like, he could take sadness pills.

Yet somehow his reaction is an unexpected one.

He gets all ticklish inside, and laughs and thinks they’re fun.

So being sad is just unknown, I’m very pleased to say.

This lets me share his happiness on every single day.

Some time ago, when we first met, he taught me quite a lot,

About feeling and happiness, that some people forgot.

If ever I start feeling bad, he’ll sit right on my knee,

And share those smiling parts of him, which brings a change in me.

There’s just no way that I can frown, with all that joy he feels.

He’s truly quite remarkable, in ways that he reveals.

People may have different pets, like dogs and cats, and birds;

Or skunks and squirrels, small chipmunks, or horses, even herds.

I think I have the ideal one that really suits me best.

So I let every other kid, have fun with all the rest.

I wish that I could find a name, that suits his ideal ways.

I hope you’ll find the perfect one, which he will sense is praise.

I wonder, could you draw my pet, for others folks to see.

So they can share the fun of him, how happy he would be.

If folks could just imagine pets, I wonder what they’d find,

That’s waiting to be realized, just inside each mind.

A mind is an adventure place, where thoughts are magical.

Sometimes you’ll laugh at your ideas, because they’re comical.

So have some fun, enjoy your thoughts, and draw delightful pets.

Then write about how grand they are, so nobody forgets.

Ruth A. Radmore

Prizes include:

1st place: 140-piece Art Case

2nd place: Acrylic Paint Art Supply

3rd place: Paintbrush Kit