She walked as far she could
And felt every season
Listened to more stories than a library
And stayed no matter the reason
She fetched the child’s play thing
Kissed as much as she could
Slept on every surface
But her favorite was the living room wood
Said ‘hi’ to every stranger
Cuddled when someone cried
Sat there in hope waiting
When it was lonely inside
And she could not demand anything
Or be jealous in anyway
All she knew was devotion
To be there each and every day
So as time finally ran too fast
Far too fast for her to chase
When I had to put away her bowl
And her toys back in their place
She was older than my child
Who is not taking the car to class
She had been here so long
I would be empty with her not in my past
She was our family collie
Who loved more than I could likely feel
Yet all that in which she had given me
Was honest, pure and sobbingly real
Justin Fitzpatrick
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/part-of-the-family/
