My New Pet

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

86 thoughts on “My New Pet”

  1. 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?

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    • 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

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  2. 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.

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  3. 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.

    Reply ↓

    • 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

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  4. 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

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  5. 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.

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    • 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

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  6. 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.

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    • 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

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    • 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

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    • 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

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  9. Hi Kristin
    Do you either like dogs or turtles.
    Also I thought that your poem was a funny and enjoyable poem to read
    Lithumi

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  12. 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

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  13. 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 ❤️

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  14. 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

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  15. 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

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  16. 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

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  18. 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.

    Reply ↓

    • 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

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  19. 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.

    Reply ↓

    • 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

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  20. 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 .

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    • 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

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      • 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

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        • 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

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  22. 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

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    • 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

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  28. 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.

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  29. 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.

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  31. 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

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    • 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

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    • 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

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  38. 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.

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    • 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

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    • 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

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  40. Thanks for sharing great rhythm and ending. I enjoyed the More Funny Poems for Kids Workshop at Gawler Poetry at the Prince Albert Pub.

    Reply ↓

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