Unconditional

Unconditional
(for Mason)

If only you could have spoken…
Perhaps you would have told me you weren’t ready to go,
To see one more rain and bark at the thunder.
One last moment to face into the wind as it blows,
With a guarding growl for the passing neighbor.

Maybe to complain of obvious anguish and pain,
From simple acts such as standing and sitting.
Old legs and fragile joints that made you lame,
The only comfort from a simple act of petting.

If only you could have spoken…
To say “No…Not yet. Please let me stay.”
Or “Now is the time with blessings and permission.”
No matter what happens that this was okay,
The decision was ours, not of my own volition.

But you could not speak..and so.. it was left up to me,
To grant you loving relief of your obvious strife.
A peaceful and painless, infinitely long sleep,
As you passed from this world into the next life.

There you can run, play, create mischief in the woods.
In the fields to bask in the sun once again.
Stay and wait for me there as all good companions should,
For the day we’re reunited; my brother, my dog, my friend.

"Mason"
June 8th, 1991 - November 17th, 2006

TAH