A Friend Who Never Spoke
Waiting ,watching cars pass on the road she’s told me to stay off of so many times.
The care she’s shown me since she got me.
Letting me sleep in her room when I don’t want to socialise when there’s company.
The amount of pain she’s endured in the past few years
and she’s stayed patient and endearing with me.
Feeding me when hungry, looking after me when I’m sick
which has been a lot since these sore, oozing lumps appeared on me.
I bark at her to tell her I love her but she tells me to stop barking
and rubs my head softly.
Sitting on her lap in this strange office every time I’m sick.
She got told something by a woman in blue scrubs.
She sheds a tear as she turns to me and places a kiss gently on my head
before I’m pushed away by the woman.
I look at her with fear and sadness in my eyes.
The bright lights slowly fade.
I wake up with her by my side.
I’m sore but the lumps are gone. They come back, 300 car passings later.
I’m brought to this office again but I don’t leave.
The lights in the office slowly fade in and out.
Until I cross a rainbow road accompanied by the sound of her cries.
By Anonymous
This is a sorrowful tale of a dog, the dog’s owner and the vet. But we hear the story from the dog’s point of view, and find ourselves sympathising with the dog who is soon going to be put down. The closing lines are particularly effective. An excellent piece of writing and a very effective poem. Told carefully, subtle phrasing. Very fine.