“Petunia’s about to do it,
“Her time is at hand”;
What is he talking about,
I didn’t have any idea…didn’t understand.

“Well, Petunia’s about to have her PIGLETS,
“She’s about to give birth”;
Leave it to Gramma to explain,
In a way that was more ‘down to earth’!

I’d never seen PIGLETS born,
And, certainly not have a dozen;
“Changes are that she would have more,
“She just might do that…if I’m no mistaken.”

“Would you like to take a guess,
“How large Petunia’s family will be?”
Grandpa liked a challenge,
So, he gave the first guess to me.

“Well, I have no idea,
“But…well, I’ll take a guess;
“I’d say…maybe five of them,”
I thought this far too many…but said it nonetheless!

“Oh, we’ll know in a few minutes”,
Grandpa said…and he should know;
But, sooner than expected…Petunia’s tail went up,
Grandpa got excited…“But what was the tail to show?”

“It means the PIGLETS are coming,
Grandpa said…and off he ran;
“Where’s he going, Gramma?”
When…back he came…blankets in hand.

“They’ll need to be dried-off,
“And then…we clip their fangs”;
I’d never heard of such at thing,
I asked, “Grandpa, does it cause them any pain?”

“Not very much”…he responded,
“Right now…they’re not too aware”;
“Of what is happening around them,
“But, very soon…beware!”

“And, why do PIGLETS have fangs?”
Was my next question to Grandpa;
“When they lived in the wilderness…fangs were for protection”,
“For their protection?”…I thought that too bazaar!

I could see…although no longer needed,
Still…they would continue to grow;
They could be dangerous…on a farm,
They didn’t need protection as they did…long ago.

“Tail up…another of the PIGLETS are coming!”
And, sure enough…#2 was being born;
Then, #3 and #4…#5,
This continued all night…until early morn!

And, just how many PIGLETS,
Put in their first appearance?
For you see…I’d fallen asleep,
Before all of them had made their entrance!

I woke up in the morning,
Here I was…in my own bed;
“How many PIGLETS did Petunia have?”
Was the first thing that I said!

“Oh, she surprised us all,
“Ten PIGLETS in this litter”;
So, I ate my breakfast in a hurry,
I wanted to get out to there…to see her.

Yes, there they were…ten PIGLETS,
They were all having their breakfast;
Petunia had many families…through the years,
And, this family was not her last!

********

June 23, 2004

Aimee Love
(LHG)