There was a dog here once.
There are scratches in the wooden floor,
And some stains on the couch and on the chair.
There’s a paw print on the back door,
And everywhere, hair.
There was a dog here once.
There’s a bag of treats near the sink;
A faint old dog smell hanging in the air.
There are Kongs: two red, two blue, one pink,
And everywhere, hair.
There was a dog here once.
There’s a collar hanging on a peg;
The vet’s last bill on the kitchen counter.
There’s the table with the chewed up leg,
And everywhere, fur.
There was a dog here once.
There’s yesterday’s dog food still in the bowl;
On the fridge, that photo from daycare.
There’s his dog bed with the patched up hole,
And everywhere, hair.
There was a dog here once.
There’s an empty place in my chest.
It’s always too soon and it’s always not fair.
There’s tears and there’s sobs and long nights with no rest.
And god, oh god, oh god, I’ll miss the hair.
© 2020 Jay Brennan
There Was a Dog Here Once by Jay Brennan is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Saturday, May 16, 2020 · 9:46:21 PM +00:00 · jayb3369
This just poured out of me last night as if someone were dictating it to me. I shared it with a writer friend who urged me to share it somewhere. I never expected this outpouring of support. I am moved beyond words...well, obviously not beyond words. {your pets} 4 me.