You’re in our hearts; you’re on my mind,

In every waking thought,

Your brown eyes held the ties that bind

From the moment we were caught.

 

With a toy in your mouth at Battersea,

You greeted us at your cage bars.

No other dog did I want to go see,

Now I look for your face in the stars.

 

It always seemed to us as though

You chose us for your owners,

And over the years we’ve loved you so,

That has to be a bonus.

 

Just nine months old when we got you,

You lived to reach ten years,

A lovable rogue through and through,

Now I try to hold back the tears.

 

You were intelligent, clever, funny,

You seemed to read our minds,

A rascal but such a honey,

We sure had some good times.

 

All those games of tug-toy

And chasing round the garden,

You were such a lovely boy

I hope my tears you’ll pardon.

 

When a Yorkie attacked, you stayed calm,

You just lifted him off the ground.

Neither of you came to any harm

But you stopped him good and sound!

 

How you’d have loved this white snow!

All those snowballs you chased after,

Then stop as to say, “Where did that go?”

This filled us with so much laughter.

 

No one to leap up and lick my face,

No one to rush home for,

No doggy friend to share my space

Nor eat my apple core.

 

You really were our best ever friend,

Now I have to say goodbye,

It’s so hard to think this is the end,

How can I help but cry?

 

You were only ill for just a smidge,

An overgrown puppy for life,

I’ll think of you playing at RainbowBridge

When I’m surrounded by strife.

 

So now as I scatter your ashes,

I thank you for all the fun,

In our garden for ever our Max is,

And in our hearts the spell is spun.

 

December 2009

 

(Probably too mushy for most, but how I felt at the time.)