One Year Older

Hello Jezzie, it has now been nearly a year 
and I’m still missing you not being here. 
I’ve been out looking for you every day 
and I keep taking Mum a different way 
as I can’t seem to find any trace of your scent 
on the usual walks that you and I went. 

But I have to tell you that I’m still hanging on 
and enjoying life here even though you are gone. 
My limp is bad but Metacam keeps it under control 
and my legs are weak but I can still take a stroll. 
Mum goes to work but comes home halfway through 
the day so that she can take me out for my poo. 

I bark all the way down our street 
just so all the cats and dogs I can greet. 
I’m getting quite deaf and so now I just bark 
at all the dogs that I see on the way to the park. 
I keep turning round in case I miss one: 
I’ve still got my sight, though my hearing has gone. 

I spend all day indoors now, Mum says I’m on guard 
and I sit on the chair because the floor gets too hard. 
I can look out the window and see all that pass by 
but most of the day I just get more shut-eye. 
I like it best when Mum stays home with me 
and I sit by her side when she’s on the settee. 

Since you’ve been gone, it’s been a strange year 
It was very quiet without you being here 
but I kind of like the extra attention 
I get from Mum. Perhaps I should mention 
that you would not recognise our yard, 
all the trees have gone and the ground’s now all hard. 

The garden has changed, it’s now all gravel 
and I can see everywhere that next door’s cats travel. 
All the bushes have gone and the pond too 
and there’s now not much work out there for Mum to do. 
But just recently there’s been a lot going on 
with folk coming and going. Now the kitchen has gone! 

Our room is full up with junk and machines. 
I am really not sure what it all means. 
Mum keeps on moaning how much everything’s cost 
but I won’t leave her side just in case I get lost. 
I’m not sure I like this upheaval at all 
but at least Mum is here, so asleep I soon fall. 

I dream of you, Jezzie, and of when we were small 
and chasing the bunnies and squirrels and all. 
We had a good life, we were happy together, 
without Mum there we always had each other. 
But although I’m without you I feel quite at ease. 
I rest a lot now, and hope you are resting in peace.