Lonely Dog

Somewhere in the evening chill

a lonely dog was barking

Children were out playing still

crying out as children will

leaning on my window sill

I could hear that dog barking

Walking out into the night

the moon was softly shining

Feeling something’s not quite right

something hidden out of sight

someone hiding from the light

Alone, afraid and whining

I found him about a block from here

chained up in someone’s backyard

Shivering from cold and fear

no water bowl or food was near

a dog abandoned, it was clear

Alone in someone’s backyard

The house was dark and silent

a thought grew in my mind

I jumped the fence and untied him

and we left his past behind

I took him in my kitchen

and fed him leftover stew

poured him a bowl of water

It was the least I could do

When he got his belly full

he laid his head upon my knee

I took a cloth and washed his face

while his eyes examined me

I brushed his coat, caressed his ears

trying to ease his misery

I said, “don’t worry, you’ll be ok”

and for a moment, he believed

I put a blanket on the floor

so he could sleep next to me

I rubbed his tired shoulders

and sang him off to sleep

When I awoke next morning

he’d passed away during the night

I guess one night of comfort

couldn’t make the past all right

So I wrapped him in that blanket

and buried him in my backyard

I only knew him a little while

but i took his death real hard

His life had been so lonely

I could see it in his eyes

All he’d needed was a friend

to be there when he died

Strange how our paths may intersect

the friends that we may find

I know I’d seen that dog before

but I never paid much mind

But I will always remember

the look in his old eyes

I only hope he’s found his place

in pastures of paradise

By Dale Adams

From: United States

Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/dale.adams.1485/