I sat on the balcony steps, relaxing with a cup of coffee
The gentle dusk breeze, cooling the summer heat

I watched my flower beds, the soil furrowed and moist
With seedlings of sunflowers, zinnias, amaranthus and cosmos

Tired, sore but happy, I dreamed of my summer garden,
One shattered by playful barking, of my neighbour's labrador.

He had watched me dig the beds, and thought it to be a game
Once free, he jumped the fence and burrowed the beds.

I watched in horror as he dug, uprooting the tender plants,
My summer garden shredded, as clumps of earth he tossed.

🐾 🐾 🐾🐾

Three days later, tired and sore, I sat on the steps,
Once again, having replanted all my seedlings

I had requested the neighbour to tie his puppy
I did not want the heartbreak again of ruined flower beds .

Yet, as dusk drew to a close, I again had a visitor
This was a tawny striped tabby, the small urban tiger

Tail high, its unwavering green eyes held my gaze
As it sauntered through my fresh beds, in feline grace

It walked into the darkness, and I rushed to the beds,
Not a seedling touched, padded feet left ne'er a footprint,  

🐾 🐾 🐾🐾

Dogs are dogs, loyal to a fault, it is true
But for them, digging a garden is a game

Cats are cats, regal and consider you as equal
And walk through the seedlings with disdain.

Written for Week 10 (March 8, 2020) Poem-a-Week challenge where one had to write a free verse about dogs and cats. I am late, but then, it is better late than never 😊 and I seem to have taken a little too much freedom with the prompt.