You do not have to say anything for just being there counts,
you can always sense what's wrong with us,
but you remain unknown,
and now you aren't even yourself,
you loose your way around the only house you've ever been in,
you forget whether you've eaten, sometimes you don't eat at all,
your a hundred and five years old, and you are only 15,
your struggling to get up in the morning,
I notice you getting worse,
sometimes, i feel you don't know who I am,
and you've forgotten how I smell,
I remember when you first came to us,
abused and half of what you are today,
you tore through my baby booties we put on to protect your feet,
you peed through the bed, and couldn't be left alone,
you were scared of your shadow... that then became your name...
you backed at your own self, until you realized how silly that was,
you've only bitten one person, that was a scare for us,
though she legged it over the fence,
she was threatening to put you down,
you were only 5 or 6 then,
and now here you are,
grey in patches and loosing weight,
I just want you to not be in pain,
what's the kindest thing we can do?
I want you to pass in your sleep,
so we don't have to make that kind of decision for you,
... we cleaned your vomit up the other day,
you'd been sick while we were out,
it seemed like you were ashamed of it...
I know that you know what's going on,
tonight it's like you said goodbye,
I cuddled you in my arms, and you licked a tear off my cheek,
it was then i knew that no matter how much you make me hate you at times,
I'm going to miss you when you go,
now snuggled up in be with mum you are...
she had to pick you up again,
you're trying to get close to her,
for once she doesn't complain,
we are both trying to prepare ourselves for the worst,
I don't want you to die,
I don't want you to die,
I want you to continue being here forever...
that seems childish and stupid...
I'll remember all the good times,
like your stealing my clothes from outside the shower door,
and distributing socks around the house,
and barking at your shadow,
and barking at your shadow,
I hope when you pass it is peaceful and painless,
3 or 4 years its been since your first fit...
I don't want you to go that way...
tucked up in mums bed...
or laying in the sun,
flattening Mum's favorite plants (we both know you did it deliberately),
You've been desexed (you do know that?),
but hell it didn't stop you,
to think that you've got a better sex life out of the four of us,
yes, Peak is included...
oh god the budgie,
the day he came home,
you insisted on constantly barking,
and now that all is quite,
we truly wonder what goes on while we aren't home...

...If this is your time to go Shadow...
Rest In Piece...
and where you are going, it will bring back your healthy self...
... please remember us when we get there...
I'll bring your sqweeky toy with me...
(even though it drives me nuts)
...and always know that though I groan and yell at you a lot,

You'll always be in my heart my friend,
I love you.