With Regard To Dogs Poem by Nancy Byrd Turner

Only the human dead may lie
In God's good acre wide and fair;
Those of an humbler kind who die
May not have shelter there: -
Not Dan, who spent his lifetime in
Such deep devotion, such warm trust
Toward man, - 'twould seem there might have been
Some corner for Dan's dust;
Not Chum, a little blind boy's guide,
Not Mike, who raced on eager feet
When school was out, to walk beside
The youngest on his street;
No place for Jack who, neighbor-wise,
Shared with a hungry cur his bone,
Nor Pete, whose heart was in his eyes
To hear his master's tone;
Nor Watch, who longed to range around
With brother dogs, but wanted most
To keep good guard, - Watch, always found
Faithfully at his post;
No place for Sam, too small to teach
Great lessons to, whose only art
Was loving well one small lad, which
He did, with all his heart;
No room for Sandy down the road,
Who never, through the whole long span
Of his good life transgressed the code
Of courteous gentleman. . . .
Nor Max, who leapt a life to save
And lost his own, with peril near:
Look somewherre else for Max's grave,
The human dead lie here.

Sleep well, you dead who never knew
Humanity. The Love on high
Who marks the faithful and the true
Remembers where you lie!