U3A Writing: Sam
Guy Roberts says a tearful goodbye to an old friend.
I saw him first one Christmastide
The one I had to buy
He scrambled over his sibling mass
And looked me in the eye
I saw him last one Summer's day
The day he had to die
He saw I was near to giving way
And looked me in the eye
He waited for the Vet; so calm
He was not the licking sort
But he strained this once to lick my arm
As if to say - Don't worry Sport
I laid my hand upon his head
As a gesture of goodbye
And I forced back the tears that I later shed
Such love was in his eye
The needle in - the plunger pressed
His eyelids closed; a light went out
A precious friend no longer stressed
The finest friend without a doubt
I shall always remember that sad, sad day
When we said our last goodbye
He said by that look, all there was to say
When he looked me in the eye.