Here he lies
the mentor of my dreams
the listener to my weary woes
who knew me well from head to toe
who joined with cheer in all my schemes
and needed no goodbyes.
No more will I ride him, blithe and free
nor see him jump the fences high
nor feel his hide, taut under my palm
I cannot cry, he taught me calm
and left me with a sigh
to find rest under his favorite tree.
No longer will I smell the tangy scent of him
no longer sense the thrill of touching fleeting boughs
nor stray to see the twilight on his back
nor feel him extra oats in his gunnysack
nor run him after unresisting cows
nor let him follow all his heartly whims.
No more will the sunshine play hide and seek
on his shining coat of black
or the the sweat drops glisten bright
on his forehead star of white
nor his breath go in and back
though of him his stall will reek.
Will he have enough to eat, I wonder...
where he's gone had better be warm
'cause he's left his rug behind
and I hope his stable boys are kind
to shield him from heavenly storms,
it's from up there that raging storms to earth wander.
Life without him I can't fathom
though Mama says I'll get over
losses like these that death demands
life of me my Life commands.
And she says she'll get me Rover
but a dog would only be his phantom.
His memory haunts me now and then
I've tried to teach my children too,
to love all creatures like their own
and not to fear the grave unknown,
to cherish Life and help the few
whose life depends on them.
the mentor of my dreams
the listener to my weary woes
who knew me well from head to toe
who joined with cheer in all my schemes
and needed no goodbyes.
No more will I ride him, blithe and free
nor see him jump the fences high
nor feel his hide, taut under my palm
I cannot cry, he taught me calm
and left me with a sigh
to find rest under his favorite tree.
No longer will I smell the tangy scent of him
no longer sense the thrill of touching fleeting boughs
nor stray to see the twilight on his back
nor feel him extra oats in his gunnysack
nor run him after unresisting cows
nor let him follow all his heartly whims.
No more will the sunshine play hide and seek
on his shining coat of black
or the the sweat drops glisten bright
on his forehead star of white
nor his breath go in and back
though of him his stall will reek.
Will he have enough to eat, I wonder...
where he's gone had better be warm
'cause he's left his rug behind
and I hope his stable boys are kind
to shield him from heavenly storms,
it's from up there that raging storms to earth wander.
Life without him I can't fathom
though Mama says I'll get over
losses like these that death demands
life of me my Life commands.
And she says she'll get me Rover
but a dog would only be his phantom.
His memory haunts me now and then
I've tried to teach my children too,
to love all creatures like their own
and not to fear the grave unknown,
to cherish Life and help the few
whose life depends on them.
