Black Dog

I sit here and watch you sleep
and memories of the years past play by,
How did we get this far
and why did it pass so fast?
It seems so boring to look at our lives as
others have looked at theirs, but
The old cliches run through my head anyway.
What is true is time has moved
and we have changed.
You and I are older,
both have our share of gray.
You sleep a lot now which was something you'd never do.
I remember when you would hardly sit still,
bit your gait is slower and less sure than it once was.
What used to push you into a frenzied outburst
now only earns an occasional snarl.
Old friend, you age before my eyes
and nothing I can do will slow it.
You've always been there whenever I need you
, but, now,
I can't stop the changes taking place in you.
Someday I'll reach for you at the foot of my bed;
you won't be there.
It somehow seems unfair that such good things
have to end so sadly.
What will I do?
Who will understand?
I'll never forget those intense brown eyes
that speak in a language of their own.
We do talk with each other, don't we?
Just give me a moment for this melancholy to pass.
We'll go for a walk and laugh at the day.
Oh my, my old black dog,
I can never say goodbye.

---

Frawley@leerburg.com

http://www.leerburg.com

I'm looking at my black dog thinking we just don't get enough years with them

This made me cry

and now I'm crying. It's a lovely poem. Do you know who wrote it? Is it alright to copy it?

Guess I shouldn't have read this first thing in the morning, cause now I'm crying too. Looking at my beautiful black dog, my baby...

Beautifully written poem...some people just write what's in your heart.

I'm guessing somebody close to Ed wrote it. If I recall, his detector dog/now house pet, is a black dog.

As is my Murphy. He's just a pup, and already I can feel this poem pulling at me.

Thanks for the morning tears. Kinda helps, with the week I've been having. :smile:

-J

Why am I such a sucker for this stuff? I knew I shouldn't have read it. Bah! Great poem.

Great timing Ed, I don't know if I should thank you or be mad at you.
I just returned from the vet with my black gsd and a tentative diagnosis of a mast cell tumor. I am at a loss for words.

Hi Lori,
I'm so sorry, anytime our animals receive a diagnosis of cancer it's so frightening. Did your vet perform a needle biopsy? When does he/she expect to get the results back? It's my understanding doctors have a lot of success treating this type of cancer, especially when caught in the early stages. Please keep us posted.

Once I quit crying so I can type I will tell my story. I lost my almost 10yr old GSD just 10 days ago on Sept 13th. Skippy was the greatest, he was a Therapy Dog, the greatest Demo dog at multiple obedience classes, had his CD and CDX and was "my boy". He had bad hips, but I kept him comfortable and had him going to the underwater treadmill just about weekly for over 2 years....which he LOVED!!!! He was quite a "fish" and loved to swim as well. In May of this year he had major abdominal surgury due to a twisted spleen???? No tumor, no bleeding, no gastric torsion, just his spleen....we fixed it and discovered at the same time he had a bleeding gastric ulcer...two unrelated events at the same time,the GI bleed is was kicked his butt!!!The surgery was a piece of cake. He improved slowly and I had 4 more months with him...he was happy as ever, digging, pulling weeds for me and carrying his favorite black walnut log around. About 1-1/2 weeks prior to me putting him to sleep he had a major personality change...complete 180 degrees!! when I look back there were a few subtle signs..then some obvious ones. Two nights before I put him to sleep he let me know...his eyes said to me "Mommy I'm so tired...I'm done". Dogs don't have to speak....the tell us volumes if you look and listen. The next night I checked and his peripheral vision was gone....it was time!!!
My wonderful boy had a brain tumor or some kind of brain lesion....He went to sleep craddled in my arms kissing me all the way. God..this is awful, but thanks to all of you that took the time to listen. Ed your peom is wonderful..thank you. I hope I can figure out how to get a picture added...he was a great boy.
Cindy

My Condolences, may time heal your pain.