Old Poodle Plays Elsewhere
His breed lives to ten
He made it to seventeen
Not by force of will
But by force of being silly
He didn’t know his job
Was to stay alive
He was simply having fun
Goofing around in mortality
Wanted what he wanted,
Which is what dogs want
Except he never asked
To be taken seriously
Maybe inside, there always was
A puppy brain
At last, the canine version
Of Charon must show up
Taking dog treats for a coin
And he will join Old Dachshund
In the field
That bears no blood
Though there’s hunting
Good sunlight
Where play and sleep have been
Perfected
Here on Earth, there are empty
Cushions and certain corners
Remembering to take bowls up off
Floor and resist the urge
To fill them
Not to listen for a bark
Or nails upon hard surfaces
Or take all the licks he wasn’t
Supposed to give
Two more dogs for paradise
While we remain in our station
Good-bye, Old Poodle
Say hi to Dachshund for us
Enjoy all the things
You can enjoy again
C L Couch
Image by Katrina_S from Pixabay
clcouch123 
May 27, 2020 at 7:23 pm
They always leave a gap.
May 27, 2020 at 10:31 pm
Yes, they do, thank you. And we’ll be seeing this one from time to time when we behold a space that used to have him in it.
May 28, 2020 at 12:40 pm
You will. You’ll smell him too and hear him pattering about.
May 27, 2020 at 9:20 pm
Memories. So many canine friends now gone.
May 27, 2020 at 10:36 pm
Goodness, you’re right, so many gone. We grew up with dogs and cats, typically more than one of each species. I had a favorite dog Ralph for many years and then my cat Hannah for even more. I took care of or simply provided company for various groups of dogs and cats kept by family and friends. Gee, all the dogs are now gone.
May 27, 2020 at 11:22 pm
So difficult to see them go. But a joy to welcome new friends.
May 27, 2020 at 11:58 pm
You’re right. It’s hard, though there will be “new friends,” as you say. My younger brother lost his dog last year, and now he and his wife are thinking they’ll rescue an older dog.