Echoes Through the Night

When raised on a farm quite some time ago
Life was different indeed.
The foxes we chased have now been replaced
By the fleet-footed deer with speed.

It was weekends, I believe, yes, Friday nights,
When a gang with their hounds left to go.
We all loaded up, into three pickup trucks
To the Howard Davis Ridge, we drove.

Just after dark, the dogs were let loose
With nothing, for dogs to impede.
As I walked by, a wink from Dad’s eye
Showing Navy had taken the lead.

Ole Navy was good, lanky and lean
With a nose that was second to none.
With Ole Navy’s strike, other dogs held on tight
And hot on the track, jumped each one.

Out the top of Big Middle and down over the end
The fox continued the chase.
Then seven strong hounds, echoed their sound
And increase the pace of the race.

For over two hours the hounds hammered on
‘Cross the Brushy and on through the night.
My father said when, a Red Fox runs then
It can easily run dogs ‘til daylight.

The race thundered on, for most of the night
As one dog, then, another came in,
But Ole Navy’s cry, held my dad close by
The fire, that was dangerously dim.

As the sky lightened, the chase took a turn
And the fox went underground then.
Before very long, three dogs came back home
And all vowed to do it, again.