I asked Mum for a puppy dog.
I thought she said, ‘OK’.
So all last week I dreamed of him
and all the games we’d play.
I dreamed of playing ball with him
and playing fetch with sticks.
I dreamed he’d walk to school with me
and show my friends his tricks.
I’m sure that you can understand
why I was so upset:
instead of my new dog, I got
a turtle for a pet!
She sat in her aquarium
and slowly blinked at me.
She barely swam around at all.
How boring could she be?
I took her out and threw a ball.
She hid inside her shell.
I gently rolled the ball to her:
that frightened her as well.
And when I tried to make her fetch
the stick I found outside,
she wandered off the other way.
I very nearly cried.
I ran inside and got the leash
to walk her down the street.
The collar slipped right down her neck,
then off her shell and feet.
But suddenly she scrambled up
and raced across the ground!
She headed straight for our screen door.
I watched without a sound.
That’s when I knew my pet was great,
’cause this is what I saw.
My turtle, who is not a dog
crawled through the doggy door!
© Kristin Martin 2013
Hey Kristin
I like how you exaggerated your feelings about your pet. I also liked the way you rhymed the words perfectly. I also like the meaning of the story, you won’t get what you want but you will have to deal with it. I also loved how you tried to take the turtle for a walk. BTW would you be sad if you got a turtle instead of a dog?
Hi Senehas,
Thank you for your lovely email. I appreciate how much you thought about my poem. I actually have turtles as pets, not dogs (I’m allergic to dogs). The people who lived in our house before us had dogs so there is a dog door in the back door, and and one of my turtles once crawled through it! That’s what inspired me to write the poem.
Kristin
Kristin
Hi Kristin,
I really liked this poem, it made me realise that just because you don’t get what you want, doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be as good or sometimes even better.
Exactly!
I loved the poem because I liked how it teaches a lesson that you don’t always get what you want, but it still can be nice. For my birthday I got something that wasn’t what I wanted, but as I played with it I realised that I liked it.
It was a really nicely structured poem and I really liked it.
Hi Amber,
Thank you for your lovely comment. I didn’t realise that my poem had a message in it, but I can see you are absolutely right! I’m glad I subconsciously put that message in my poem, and glad you pointed it out.
Kristin
Hey Kristin,
I love turtles so much, especially baby turtles because they move really fast. I am very glad that you showed that dogs and turtles are equally great pets!
Ranulaka
Hi Ranulaka,
Adult turtles can move very fast too. One of our turtles is named Speedy.
Kristin
Awesome that is an amazing and funny poem. It was sweet and detailed. I love the part when she wanted a dog but she got a turtle. Imagine taking a turtle on a walk. I love my pet dog but I would love a pet turtle as well.
Hi Amy,
Thanks for your lovely comment. I had fun writing this poem and imagining all the things that you might do with a turtle when you wanted it to be a dog.
Your pet dog sounds lovely. I have 4 pet turtles, but I don’t see them much. They hide in their pond or in the garden.
Kristin
That was a great poem Kristin I loved how the turtle came out the doggie door, thats really funny and brightened up my day. from Ava.
Hi Ava,
Your comment has brightened my day. Thank you!
My turtle really did go through the doggy door. It was very funny to watch! (The rest of the poem didn’t really happen.)
Kristin
I really liked this book because I wanted a dog but my mum and dad said no. Good book Kristin.
Hi Fin,
Thanks! I’m glad you like my poem.
This poem is actually all fiction (that is, it’s made up) except for one part. My turtle really did crawl through the doggy door!
Kristin
Hi Kristin I thought it was a really amazing poem because you don’t Usually see turtles going through a doggie door.
H Malikai,
Thank you! Did you know that I actually saw my turtle going through the doggy door?! The rest of the poem is fiction, but that bit is true!
Kristin
Hi Kristin
Do you either like dogs or turtles.
Also I thought that your poem was a funny and enjoyable poem to read
Lithumi
Hi Lithumi,
I like turtles. We have three.
Kristin
that was a very nice poem Kristen!!
Thanks, Gina!
Hi Kristin,
I really like your poem because it is about pets. I feel happy when l read it.
Thank you.
Chenuli
Hi Chenuli,
I’m so glad you like my poem. Thank you for telling me!
Kristin
hi Kristin
that was very funny and cute thank you for sharing it.
You’re welcome
Hi Kristin
I liked this poem because it includes a lot of humor in a lot of ways. I was funny and unexpected bu the described personality of the boy. I liked that after a while the boy had a certain appreciation for the turtle. Great poem!
Tharusha
Thanks Tharusha,
Did you notice that I never said the child was a boy? It could also be a girl! Read it again and see what you think this time.
Kristin
Hi Kristen,
I can relate to this story!!!!! I know how it would feel if you asked for a puppy and you were sooooooo excited to see it and in the end they get you a turtle I would be so disappointed !!!!!!! But you will eventually find the good in your turtle and I bet you love your turtles now Kristen !!!!!!!! I actually have two dogs they are lovely one was the runt of the dog family and that is why we got her !!!!!! The other was sooooo cheeky so we had to get him !!!! They were both Lhasa Apso !!!!!!! Love your ideas !!!!!!! Can’t wait to read another poem!!!!!!!!
Bye
– Clara ❤️
Hi Clara,
Thanks for your enthusiastic comment. I made up this poem after our turtle crawled through the doggy door!
Kristin
Hi Kristin
I found this poem sad at the start because the boy did not appreciate his pet that he got but at the end he found out it can be fun in different ways.
Yenuli
Hi Yenuli,
Thank you for your comment. I find it interesting that you said the main character in the poem was a boy. It could be a girl as well. They are referred to as ‘I’ so it could be either!
Kristin
That is a good point
Hi Kristin
I liked this poem, I am hoping for a puppy at the moment, a border collie or scotch collie I think.
Thanks for the poems
Archie
Hi Archie,
Thanks for your comment. I hope you get a dog sometime. We now have 4 turtles. They are pretty good pets.
Kristin
Hi kristin this poem was very intresting my favorite animal is a turtle because they need help with all the pollution and plastic but i probably would like a dog too
Hi Sophie,
I feel sad for all the sea turtles. I hope we manage to clean up the oceans!
Kristin
Me too
Hi Kristin
I can totally relate to this poem, I really want a dog but instead I got a turtle.
Such a fun poem
Turtles are actually great pets though!
Hi Kristen
I really liked that poem because it had a lot of feelings like sad. But thankfully it was happy at the end.Also I would love pet but the thing is that people come to my to visit and some of my friends are allergic to any pet that has fur.But there is a chance that we will get a fish.
Hi Thinara,
I’m allergic to a lot of pets too, like cats, dogs and birds. We have pet spiny leaf insects, goldfish, a lizard and 4 turtles, none of which I’m allergic too. I hope you get a goldfish. They are cute.
Kristin
Hi Kristin,
I really liked this poem because it was sad at the middle and happy at the end. I always wanted a elephant and I collect money to get one, but I don’t know if my mum was joking. any-way do you like dogs or turtle’s or do you like both? I like dog’s compared to turtle’s because dog’s are way faster than turtle’s.
kind regards Tirath.
Hi Tirath,
Thank you for your lovely long comment. I’m glad you like my poem. I much prefer turtles to dogs, but that’s because dogs make me sneeze. I have four pet turtles, and one of them really did crawl through the doggy door!
Kristin
I enjoyed this poem as it reminded me of my pet rabbit. He is eight months old and he is black. I dreamed of having a pet rabbit to cuddle and play with but he does not like to be picked up but loves to play. I liked the bit when the person said about playing ball and playing fetch with a turtle .
Hi Lily,
Your rabbit sounds cute. I wrote this poem after our turtle really did crawl through the doggy door (the other bits I made up!)
Kristin
Hi Kristin
Wow. Your turtle really crawled through the doggy door. My rabbit has escaped twice this week and mum had to chase him round the garden to catch him. My mum wasn’t impressed.
Love Lily
Hi Lily,
I’m glad your mum managed to catch your rabbit. Our neighbour’s rabbit used to escape and come to our house and dig holes in our front garden!
Kristin
I like this poem because you used lots of rhyming words
Hi Vinuk.
Thanks! I like to write poems that rhyme.
Kristin
Hi Kristin,
my new pet is a white rabbit named Bonnie she is white and fluffy but she nips me on the toes if I scare her
Hi Cadence,
Bonnie sounds cute.
Kristin
Hi Kristin
I would also want a pet but my mum is allergic to cats and dogs.
Hi Zaynab,
I’m allergic to cats and dogs too! We have reptiles and insects as pets because they don’t make me sneeze.
Kristin
I really liked your poem because I like turtles.
Hi Ellie,
Thanks! I like turtles too. We have four!
Kristin
It was really funny and I liked how you wanted to take the turtle for a walk. That’s something I would want to do.
Hi Lailah,
Thanks! I used to take my turtle outside to walk around the backyard (I didn’t use a leash, though), and one day he crawled through our doggy door!
Kristin
I wouldn’t have been upset, I love turtles. Great Poem
Thanks Tae!
I love how you wanted to take him for a walk
Thanks Kelly!
Hi Kristin
I found this poem sad at the start because the boy did not appreciate his pet that he got but at the end he found out it can be fun in different ways.
It was sad at the begining coz the boy was upset but at the end he is happy what he got. It reminds me my mother telling be happy with what you got coz many children dont have what i have. This boy also try to find something he like in turtle and he did. so happy.
Hi Dinethri,
Thanks for another thoughtful comment. I agree with your mum.
Kristin
Turtles are very interesting to me. I like them and your poem.
-Thisama
Thanks Thisama!
I like turtles too!
Kristin
Hi Kristin
I liked this poem because it reminds me of a turtle I saw at the pet shop. we liked the turtles we called them the ninja turtles.
from Lysha
Hi Lysha,
I like turtles. I have four pet turtles who live in ponds in our garden.
Kristin
Hi Kristin
I love this poem. I feel like it taught me to be grateful for what I have.
Tharusha
Hi Kristin
I really like this poem. It taught me to be grateful for what I have and it paints a nice picture in my head. Is it based on a true event? If so, what actually happened?
Tharusha
Hi Tharusha,
I wrote this poem after my turtle climbed though our doggy door. That really happened! (the rest I made up)
Kristin
I loved how the poem shows the difference of feelings the main character had for his/her new pet turtle.
I really liked the rhyming you used, it was funny and shows a turtle and a dog can be alike.
Hi Samantha,
Thank you for your lovely comment. Part of this poem is true- my turtle really did crawl through the doggy door. The rest of the poem is made up.
Kristin
this is so funny maybe it should be a turtle door instead of a doggy door now.
Cadence K
That’s a good idea!
I loved how it rhymes and I also wish I had a pet that was a puppy, loved your poem too.
Thanks Nae!
I enjoyed reading this poem and saw good rhymes…however it’s funny idea .
I can imagine how beautiful it is ?
Hi Methuli,
I’m glad you like the poem. I spend lots of time making sure my poems rhyme well.
Kristin
It is very nice and funny! When I read it, it made me feel like laughing at the end. I really like the very last bit where it said “My turtle that was not a dog crawled through the doggy door,” it is very funny and ironical.
Thank you Thisali,
You are right, it is ironical. Though it is also the only part of the poem that is true- my turtle crawled through our doggy door! That is what inspired me to write the poem.
Kristin
That is so funny and very sweet, I loved how you said the collar slipped right down his neck, then off his shell and feet.
Thanks Tharinsa,
I like that line too.
The poem is made up, except for the part about the turtle going through the doggy door. My turtle really did that!
Kristin
Thanks for sharing great rhythm and ending. I enjoyed the More Funny Poems for Kids Workshop at Gawler Poetry at the Prince Albert Pub.
Thanks Lucy! I’m glad you enjoyed the workshop. I really enjoyed presenting it.
That’s cute and funny! Thanks for sharing.