People by their smell;
He can recognize her car,
While it is still quite far.
And when he misbehaves,
His eyes forgiveness crave.
My son's cat au contraire,
Does not admit she erred.
She hears a sound so slight,
And sees when there's no light.
She thinks the house is run
For her pleasure and her fun.
But both dog and cat abide
An instinct deep inside,
That makes them both express
A curious thankfulness:
The dog, with obvious joy
Brings me his favorite toy,
To show me, e'en before
I open his front door.
The cat, though never trained,
And not at all constrained,
Brings gifts of bird or mouse,
And puts them at the house.
What mysteries one finds
In animals' strange minds?
What makes them act, with grace,
Toward the human race?...