The dog stood in line
in a vet’s tiny office,
just waiting
for inoculation.

She was waiting her turn,
behind all the others,
where the one
in the back
always suffers.

And after some wait,
she just couldn’t take
anymore,
so the door
she turned to
and gaited.

Patience, a virtue,
but not so in pups;
not like that found
in well-trained grown-ups.

And Patience, her name,
though not to her fame;
for she lives
in the moment
of getting –

Not standing around,
no sense sitting down;
but, hold still,
she will
for some petting.

But standing in line?
That’s a BIG waste of time!
When you’re in,
outside’s
best for letting.

So patience, a virtue,
and also her name;
but waiting,
for grown-ups
and pups,
not the same!

With patience
comes virtue,
but it’s not
the same thing
when Virtue
stands first,
in the front
of the lane.

No,
this is her penance
for playing the game:
Virtue’s persistence
is not Patience blame.

Where Virtue gets shot
and Patience does not,
bears not on the essence,
but just in the name.

©2015, Marvin Welborn
4 March 2015