by Nancy Moore
His leash, hanging by the door,
Has never been still so long before.
His empty dish, his empty bed
Fill our empty hearts with dread.
Never a greeting from his wagging tail,
No noisy barking announcing the mail.
Never walking again with him by our side,
No breath in our ears when we take a ride.
When storms in the night rip through our town,
With thunder, lightning, and rain falling down,
We'll long for the comfort of petting his head
As he lies on the floor beside our bed.
On sunny days we'll remember each mile,
Every trail we hiked, how he made us smile.
We'll remember how blessed we were to have him
For thirteen years, our Buddy, our best friend.