He was sure she was elated
That joy welled up from her deep
After all that he'd fabricated
Bedtime stories before sleep

Little gestures just to keep her
Just to keep her up and coming
Taunting with his stingy morsels
So to make her blood keep running

Here and there he'd throw a bone
To his pricey-perfumed dog
Take a moment twice a month,
Toss a pearl to his hog

And the ruffled dog did good tricks
With no prospect of reward
For if just to please her best friend, man
To get a pat-down from her lord

See that kindled, foolborn spirit
Felt her lover loved her best
She rejected other outcomes
She ignored each of all the rest

And he let his pet keep twirling
Let her go jumping through rings
Though never really feeling proud of them
He was tickled by these things

So he sat upon his highness
As she mingled round his lap
And she felt so very special
To be his favorite place to nap

He liked to tell her bedtime stories
And leave out her favorite parts
So she could fill them in within her mind
While he left her in the dark