Eternal Peace

He was but a pup when we first met,
He touched my heart so the money I’ll get
To purchase this baby to live in my home
Right by my side, never to roam.
Each day that passes he brings a smile to my face
Forever in my heart he’ll hold his special place.
He is my shadow, my friend at my feet,
My faithful companion, my life is complete.
I lived alone until we found each other,
Quite lonely it was I thought I would smother.
He seems to know just what to do
When I’m feeling bad, alone or just blue.
My tears he can dry with his clowning ways,
Oh, the comfort he gives when I have blue days.
He snuggles so close and lies so very still,
Right by my side on days I feel ill.
Now life has twisted its blade deep in me,
The report of my Doctor so shocking for me.
My time left they say is but just a few weeks,
A new home for him now in tears I must seek.
It must be quite special, I won’t settle for less.
They must love him as I do will all his sweetness.
Patience they’ll need to allow him to adjust
To his new life as I know he must.
Life is so fragile, each new day untold,
Each moment so precious we have in our hold.
He’ll just be on loan to his new family
Until once again together we’ll be.
He’ll stay by my side until I’m unaware,
He’ll leave me then a new life to share.
The love that he gave I’ll take selfishly with me
As I drift away into eternal sleep.
You may think this sad, but you don’t understand
For he gave so much to a life lived so bland.
He still brings a smile to a face grimaced in pain
And peace to a soul that will soon be reclaimed.
To be sure of his fate is my only plea
Then can my soul rest in eternal peace.
Kathy Henderson
6 - 1999

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Faint of Heart

If you’re faint of heart don’t read past this line
For this story is true and told at newstime.
One of abuse, not a picture they would show
Of a dog who was chained and left to die so.
No food or water, not a sign any was left
As they packed and they moved not a thought for their pet.
In torment and hunger she circled that tree
With each circle made the chain shortened you see.
The last circle made tangled and snubbed her so tight,
She couldn’t even lay down try as she might.
Her bones plainly show, her ribs look as tho carved,
Dehydrated and sick from being so starved.
Shaking from weakness and fighting to just breathe
For the choke round her neck from her own weight would squeeze.
Tho she’s now been rescued and so far still alive,
Its still quite uncertain if she will survive.
For her owners they’re still searching but may never find,
As cruel as this is, they’ll only be fined.
A dog is so helpless against the cruelties of man,
Why bother to own one if a dog you can’t stand?
I’ve worked in rescue and this story I can match
Not just once or twice, the list quite a batch!
Time will never alter the stories that we’ll hear
Of abuse done to animals of that its quite clear.
We can’t rescue them all tho we wish it could be so,
The pain so many suffer, well, most we won’t know.
Maybe this one will survive and finally will see
A new home with love and no chain to be.
The faint of heart should never work in rescue
For the sights you behold will tear your heart right in two.
Kathy Henderson
6 - 1999

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Golden Years?!!

My eyes are failing, my body’s in pain,
I’m hard of hearing, now where is the gain?
The “golden years”, what fool said that!
They must have been young or high on smack!
Life’s not so great for this old woman
Tho I still have my mind it could use some fine-tunin’.
This old dog by my side shares the same grumps
As she goes through the house and you hear these loud thumps.
Our balance is gone, we both hit the walls
As we stagger and stumble trying not to fall.
Even at that I have it better than she,
Hearing aids, false teeth, but for her none to be.
Our girlish figures have long since disappeared,
Gravity won that battle just as I feared.
Obese?  Yes, we are but we need the fat
To keep ourselves warm, can’t you understand that?
Was that a laugh??  I’ll put my dog on you!
She’ll gum you to death, you’ll be black and blue!
Now answer my question for I want to know
Just where is the gold in the grey we both show?
But I know the answer now I’ll tell it to you
For the years that we’ve shared have never been blue.
It’s a heart of pure gold in this old dog you see.
Oh, the love in that heart she’s shared with me.
She’s filled in the gaps that would have been empty,
The times she was needed, well, there have been many.
She’s needed me to of that I’m aware
And so blessed am I with her love to share.
So there is the gold if you see past the grey
In a chubby old gal who can’t hear what you say.
The memory’s we share of so many years
Truly are golden as I look back through tears.
Were it but possible I’d live them again
She’s given so much, my very special friend.
Yes, we are old, age taking its toll
But the bond that we share truly is gold.
Kathy Henderson
6 - 1999

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