a year now since she died

life never been the same

loving eyes that llit my life

till she fell and got lame

 

her back end had collapsed

lost control of her bladder

lay there still in the garden

never saw anything sadder

 

vet had to give her the jab

said she'd suffer no pain

ashes rest on my dresser

but I'll not see her again

 

all I have is her leather lead

each day I take it for a walk

stroke it in my pants pocket

share the scenery and talk

 

passing her old staging posts

I remember our adventures

that day she snuffled out a

set of brand-new dentures

 

the house with the huskies

that provoked her to bark

surly mallards by the pond

chasing them such a lark!

 

she barely killed half a dozen

their escape ploys she bested

I'm tempted to do the same

but I fear I might get arrested

 

last Sunday I saw her ghost by

a tree where once she peed,

was she telling me to follow,

hang myself with her lead?

 

I'm cutting back on walkies

history got me depressed

I've just set fire to the lead

I'll add its ashes to the rest