MY DOG
MY DOG STANDS BY ME IN PROSPERITY AND IN POVERTY, IN
HEALTH AND IN SICKNESS. MY DOG WILL SLEEP ON THE COLD GROUND,
WHERE THE WINTRY WINDS BLOW AND THE SNOW DRIVES FIERCELY,IF
ONLY HE MAY BE NEAR MY SIDE. HE WILL KISS THE HAND THAT HAS NO
FOOD TO OFFER,HE WILL LICK THE WOUNDS AND SORES THAT COME IN
ENCOUNTERS WITH THE ROUGHNESS OF THE WORLD. HE GUARDS MY SLEEP
AS IF I WERE A PRINCE. WHEN ALL OTHER FRIENDS DESERT, HE REMAINS .
WHEN RICHES TAKE WINGS AND REPUTATION FALLS TO PIECES, HE IS AS
CONSTANT IN HIS LOVE AS THE SUN IN ITS JOURNEY THROUGH THE HEAVENS,
IF FORTUNE DRIVES ME FORTH AN OUTCAST IN THE WORLD,FRIENDLESS
AND HOMELESS,MY FAITHFUL DOG ASK NO HIGHER PRIVILEGE THAN THAT
OF ACCOMPANING ME TO GUARD AGAINST DANGER,TO FIGHT AGAINST MY
ENEMIES,AND WHEN THE LAST SCENE OF ALL COMES, AND DEATH TAKES ME
IN ITS EMBRACE AND MY BODY IS LAID AWAY IN THE COLD GROUND, NO
MATTER IF ALL OTHER FRIENDS PURSUE THIER WAY, THERE BY MY GRAVESIDE
WILL MY NOBLE DOG BE FOUND,HIS HEAD BETWEEN HIS PAWS, HIS EYES
SAD BUT OPEN IN ALERT WATCHFULNESS, FAITHFUL AND TRUE EVEN IN
DEATH...............