Poems For The Oldies

[Fee]

Anything you've seen or written yourself relating to older dogs you'd like to share? Below is one from me from the early days of the Oldies Club, I'd love to see other peoples' contributions or favourites

 

THE OLD DOG IN THE POUND

 

The younger dogs all fret and fuss,

"Come and choose us! Come and choose us!"

But I just lie, dull-eyed in my run

Too old to be chosen by anyone

 

A little girl stops and gives me a smile,

I lift my head - it's been such a long while -

But her mother says "no, love, he's eleven,

It won't be long till he goes to heaven"

 

So I turn my face to the wall again

And try to forget all the lonely pain

And I dream of a heaven where, out of the cold,

The angels will welcome a dog that's too old

[selina]

I love this poem, in fact I recently posted it on another forum and it inspired someone to go out there and then and adopt an oldie so well done that person.

Tissues at the ready.

 

The Old Dog

 

One by One, they pass by my cage,

Too old, too worn, too broken, no way.

Way past his time, he can't run and play.

Then they shake their heads slowly and go on their way.

 

A little old man, arthritic and sore,

It seems I am not wanted anymore.

I once had a home, I once had a bed,

A place that was warm, and where I was fed.

 

Now my muzzle is gray, and my eyes slowly fail.

Who wants a dog so old and so frail?

My family decided I didn't belong,

I got in their way, my attitude was wrong.

 

Whatever excuse they made in their head,

Can't justify how they left me for dead.

Now I sit in this cage, where day after day,

The younger dogs get adopted away.

 

When I had almost come to the end of my rope,

You saw my face, and I finally had hope.

You saw thru the gray, and the legs bent with age,

And felt I still had life beyond this cage.

 

You took me home, gave me food and a bed,

And shared your own Pillow with my poor tired head.

We snuggle and play, and you talk to me low, You love me so dearly,

you want me to know.

 

I may have lived most of my life with another,

But you outshine them with a love so much stronger.

And I promise to return all the love I can give,

To you, my dear Person, as long as I live.

 

I may be with you for a week, or for years,

We will share many smiles, you will no doubt shed tears.

And when the time comes that God deems I must leave,

I know you will cry and your heart, it will grieve.

 

And when I arrive at the Bridge,

all brand new, My thoughts and my heart

will still be with you. And I will brag to all who will hear,

Of the person who made my last days so dear.

 

Leslie Whalen

[Ian]

Not so much a poems but when I saw this I thought that like the very poignant "How could you?" it warranted sharing.

 

 

He is your friend, partner, defender, your dog

You are his life,leader his love.

He will be yours faithful and true to the last beat of his heart.

You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.

 

 

For those who haven't seen it How could you is posted on here seperately - the story of an older dog which could well have you in tears!

 

There are also some nice poems sent in by those bereaved of a loved one on the Arks website at http://beehive.thisishull.co.uk/default.as...mp;PageID=80908

 

For those of you who dont know the Ark is a small rescue based in Lincolnshire & which has several older dogs advertised with oldies & they seem really friendly via email.

 

I particularly like

 

IF IT SHOULD BE.....

 

If it should be, that I grow frail and weak,

And pain should keep me from my sleep,

Then you must do what must be done,

For we know this last battle can't be won.

 

You will be sad, I understand,

But don't let grief then stay your hand.

For this day, more than the rest,

Your love and friendship must stand the test.

 

We've had so many happy years,

What is to come can hold no fears.

Would you want me to suffer? So,

When the time comes, let me go.

 

Take me where my needs they'll tend,

Only stay with me until the end,

And hold firm me and speak to me

Until my eyes no longer see.

 

I know, in time you will agree

It is a kindness you do to me,

Although my tail its last has waved,

From pain and suffering I have been saved.

 

Do not grieve, it must be you,

Who must decide this thing to do.

We've been so close, we two, these years,

Don't let your heart hold any tears.

 

 

 

DON'T CRY FOR WHEN I'M GONE

 

Three score years are given to men,

But ours is a much briefer span.

So, though I give you all my heart,

The time will come when we must part.

But all around, you will see

Creatures that speak to you of me;

A tired horse, a hunted thing,

A sparrow with a broken wing...

Pity and help, (I know you will),

And, somehow, I will be with you still.

I shall know, although I'm gone,

The love I gave you lingers on!

 

 

and from the poems section of the dog died website

 

http://boxerforum.proboards40.com/index.cgi

 

I ONLY WANTED YOU

 

They say memories are golden well maybe that is true.

I never wanted memories i only wanted you.

A million times i needed you a million times i cried.

If love alone could have saved you,you never would have died.

I n lfe i loved you dearly in death i love you still.

In my heart you hold a place no one could ever fill.

If tears could build a stairway and heartache make a lane.

Id walk the path to heaven and bring you back again.

Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same.

But as god calls us one by one the chain will link again.

 

Sad perhaps but for those of you who dont know me I have recently lost my dear old Jo who you will see on the Arks poems list to lung cancer & would love to believe that one day along with Sheba & peggy we'll be together again. In the meantime Joyce who you may have seen on oldies has joined Tara & I & is improving well. Now anyone got any happier ones?

[JoT]

These poems always make me cry. I'm such a wuss when it comes to old dogs.

 

Fee, did you write the one you posted? It's beautiful.

[Kia's mum]

Not so much a poems but when I saw this I thought that like the very poignant "How could you?" it warranted sharing.

He is your friend, partner, defender, your dog

You are his life,leader his love.

He will be yours faithful and true to the last beat of his heart.

You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.

For those who haven't seen it How could you is posted on here seperately - the story of an older dog which could well have you in tears!

 

Sad perhaps but for those of you who dont know me I have recently lost my dear old Jo who you will see on the Arks poems list to lung cancer & would love to believe that one day along with Sheba & peggy we'll be together again. In the meantime Joyce who you may have seen on oldies has joined Tara & I & is improving well. Now anyone got any happier ones?

 

Here are a couple of happier ones, Ian.

 

A STUMP FOR A TAIL. (This one is on our website at the Ark)

You can't buy loyalty, they say;

I bought it, though, the other day.

You can't buy friendship, tried and true -

Well, just the same, I bought that too.

I made my bid, and on the spot,

Bought love and faith and a whole job lot

Of happiness, so all in all

The purchase price was pretty small.

I bought a single, trusting heart,

That gave affection from the start.

If you think these things are not for sale,

Then buy a brown-eyed dog with a stump for a tail.

 

Or what about this one? At least it has a happy ending if the beginning isn't so jolly:

IF ONLY THEY COULD TALK.

I was a dog unwanted,

I was put in a plastic sack,

I was taken for a car ride

And dumped on an old dirt track.

 

I had trouble with my breathing,

Just waiting for the end.

God must have known how I was afraid,

Cos He sent along a friend.

 

I was taken to a dogs' home,

Given food and washed quite clean.

I was put on view with other dogs,

In the hope of being seen.

 

Some friends arrived from Hearing Dogs;

They even changed my name.

I was taught to use my hearing -

To me it was a game.

 

I am now a qualified Hearing Dog,

Petted to the point of tears.

I'm so happy about the job I do,

Listening and being my master's ears.

 

by W. Heyes.

Edited February 18, 2007 by Kia's mum

[Fee]

This one is kind of a work in progress, not really finished yet, but inspired by the two very different walks I do each day - the first one with the younger dogs, where the aim is to cover maximum distance at fastest speed in the time available, then I take out my two oldies and it's a complete change of pace; quite impossible to hurry them, I have to slow myself right down and take the time to look around and enjoy what's around.

 

THE YOUNG DOGS WALK

 

It's time for our walk! We dash out to the hall

Quick mum, get our leads on, remember the ball!

We're supposed to sit nicely while mum gets us ready

But we're far too excited to wait and be steady

 

At last, we set off at a furious pace

And get to the field, our favourite place.

We charge through the swaying grass barking and racing

One of us running, the other one chasing

 

We chase one another, the Frisbee, the ball,

Invisible rabbits or nothing at all.

All down the field we are jumping and dashing

And then to the stream for some playing and splashing.

 

We're tired and happy, a wonderful feeling

And now we can do 'walking nicely' and 'heeling'

Once home we will rest for a few hours, and then….

We'll be ready and eager to do it again!

 

THE OLD DOGS WALK

 

The warmth of the sun and the breeze in our faces

We stop to explore all our favourite places

We know all the signs and can tell what's passed here

The smell of a rabbit, the scent of a deer

 

Through cloudy old eyes we can still see the gleam

Of the dragonflies hovering over the stream

The grasshoppers whirr out their songs as we pass

The orange-tipped butterflies rise from the grass

 

 

We're not like the young dogs, we don't run and race

But see so much more at our leisurely pace

The change in the hedgerows, the season's wild flowers

We know them all well, for the seasons are ours.

 

And when the time comes for our life's final dream

It will be of a walk in the sun by the stream.

[Ian]

Fee, These are lovely - perhaps you could print some & sell them off as fundraisers when the shows start?

Edited March 30, 2007 by Ian

[Ian]

Dear God please send me someone who'll care

I’m tired of running I’m sick with despair.

My body is aching its racked with pain

I pray to god as I run in the rain

That someone will love me give me a loving home

Maybe even a cosy bed and a juicy bone.

My last owner tied me all day in the yard

Sometimes with no water, boy was it hard.

So I chewed my leash and ran away

To rummage in garbage and live as a stray.

Now God I’m hungry tired and cold

I’m so afraid that I'll never grow old.

They chase me with sticks, hit me with stones

While I run the streets looking for bones.

I’m not bad God. Please help me if you can

I have just become the victim of man.

I’m wormy dear god and ridden with fleas

All that I want is an owner who loves me – please

If you find one for me God I will be so good

I wont chew the shoes and I'll do all that I should.

I'll love them, protect them, and obey

When they tell me to sit, lie down or stay.

I don’t think I will make it long on my own

I’m getting so weak and I’m so alone

Each night as I sleep in the bushes I cry

I’m so afraid that I’m going to die.

I’ve got so much love and devotion to give

Will anyone care and give me a home and help me to live?

 

(adapted from www.dogdied.co.uk, Author unknown)

[flweir]

Dear God please send me someone who'll care

I’m tired of running I’m sick with despair.

My body is aching its racked with pain

I pray to god as I run in the rain

That someone will love me give me a loving home

Maybe even a cosy bed and a juicy bone.

My last owner tied me all day in the yard

Sometimes with no water, boy was it hard.

So I chewed my leash and ran away

To rummage in garbage and live as a stray.

Now God I’m hungry tired and cold

I’m so afraid that I'll never grow old.

They chase me with sticks, hit me with stones

While I run the streets looking for bones.

I’m not bad God. Please help me if you can

I have just become the victim of man.

I’m wormy dear god and ridden with fleas

All that I want is an owner who loves me – please

If you find one for me God I will be so good

I wont chew the shoes and I'll do all that I should.

I'll love them, protect them, and obey

When they tell me to sit, lie down or stay.

I don’t think I will make it long on my own

I’m getting so weak and I’m so alone

Each night as I sleep in the bushes I cry

I’m so afraid that I’m going to die.

I’ve got so much love and devotion to give

Will anyone care and give me a home and help me to live?

 

(adapted from www.dogdied.co.uk, Author unknown)

 

that is so sad. (it should have come with a health warning cause I'm at my desk with tears rolling down my face and my colleagues must think I'm mad!)

[greytgirl]

Listen - can you hear your name?

He’s calling you - my friend

Although you’re slipping from me now -

This is not the end……………

A new life is about to start

Where you’ll be free from pain

Old-age - you’ll shrug off like a cloak

And you’ll be young again.

Listen - can you hear Him call?

His voice is soft and low

And as you leave this earth behind

Remember - as you go…….

I’ll not forget you my dear friend

Though we may be apart

Your mem’ry will remain with me -

Forever, in my heart.

Listen - He is calling still

Reaching out and so…..

Take His hand and slip away

It’s time for you to go.

So many happy times we’ve shared

These, sadness can’t erase

I feel that we’re together still

Tho’ we’ve gone separate ways.

I’m listening - but there’s no sound

You must have heard His voice

We both knew that the time had come

We knew there was no choice.

You’ve breathed your last - your eyes are closed

But this is not the end…….

For life at Rainbow Bridge awaits

Rest in Peace - dear friend.

© J Zatonski 2004