Poems - Old English Sheepdogs

(Please Click on the Poem's title)

GAMIN

RUFUS  Suzanne Zennie

I ASKED FOR ONE MORE TIME  Dianne McKee

A FINAL GOODBYE  Dianne McKee

RUFUS

God made a shaggy dog one day, to run, bounce, jump and play.

He's the kind of dog you'd love to meet, but all he wants is another treats.

He knows no tricks, balls fly over his head, you turn off the T.V. and he'll run for your bed.

With all that hair he can't swim very well, but give him a beach and he'll run like hell!

He'll always stop to smell the flowers and he sleeps for hours and hours.

He's stubborn and sometimes a brat, not to crazy about that cat.

But all who see him can't help but smile at this beautiful dog, his grace, his style.

He'll protect, love and is loyal to the end, my Sheepdog my Rufus, my Best Friend.

I ASKED FOR ONE MORE TIME

To hold your paw
To stroke your head
To feel your paw upon my knee
To hear your bark
Please just one more time
To scratch your back
To see you sleep
To watch you wake
To walk with you
To talk to you
Please just one more
Just one more year so you can experience each season one more time
Just one more month of sunny days to warm your aging bones
Just one more week to let you greet each visitor as a valued friend
Just one more day for me to share my most intimate thoughts with you
Just one more hour to watch you sleep trusting and secure in my love
Just one more minute
Just one more
Just one
Just
And then I knew it was not for you to stay.
So I'll give you just one last good-bye and think of you each day.

A FINAL GOODBYE

"He is gone!", they told me. Oh no! I cried it must not be.

Through my tears I look where he was wont to run.

What trick is this? I said. Look - there! here he comes.

Tongue lolling from grinning jaws, a happy bark comes to me on the air.

But why does it sound so faint? Almost like a half forgotten haunting memory.

He stops and bows in invitation to play, a gesture so dearly remembered.

Can't you see him? I beg with heartbroken prayer.

But now he looks at me with a knowing look of sadness in his eye.

My heart breaks anew as I begin to realize that he is playing now where no mere mortal can hope to go alive.

He turns and would return, then looks ahead as misty shapes begin to appear and I see again those who have gone before.

Now joy is on his face, Joy I feel stolen in that moment from my heart.

He races to meet the ones who come to greet him and shoulder to shoulder they fade from my tear filled sight.

I walk to where he stood and there upon the ground is one last quickly fading paw print, left perhaps to ease a final good-bye.