Goodbye My Dog My Friend Poem by Clifford Villaflores

The empty room I now stare
The silence I cannot bear
The once defeaning bark
The paws lost in the mark.

The howl that greets me everyday
The waggling tail that meets my way
The joyous runs here and there
The leaps and fun everywhere.

The constant jog in the park
The feast of dog food and the pat
The walk to the vet and the mat
The ride in the car where you sat.

The weekly baths where you chill
As water cleanses and fill
The bath soap that you don’t like
Washing dirt after each hike.

The shaking hands that pleases us
The hide and seek that turned to bust
The daily jumps to and fro
The garbage sneak seen all through.

THEN YOU GOT SO SICK ONE DAY
IT JUST CAME ALL OF A SUDDEN
WHEN YOUR SMALL HEART STOPPED BEATING
HOURS LATER YOU CEASED BREATHING.

The spark in your eyes was gone
As we arrived late one night
You just lay stiff in my sight
In one dreary and sad night.

Tears fell in my eyes like rain
I just couldn’t bear the pain
My senses seemed all crushed
And system felt like all mashed.

For minutes, I was so stunned
The once playful dog now gone
Eyes closed I couldnt help but sigh
I cried and cried...I just cried.

Past midnight I got a shovel
I dug amidst the rain and cold
Sweat, tears and rain mixed all over
A night that’s hard to be sober.

As I bid one last goodbye
To Caisey, my friend and pet
Ever loyal and loving
You're simply worth cherishing.


(Clifforce Poetics/August 24, 2011)