The Old Man and Mutt
Gabriel Duncan

it was april when he brought him hom
two thousand and two
a companion for an old man wasting away
he was a german sheppard/labrador mix
but they were still dear
they walked around the park in the mornings
the old man needed to get his exercise
he lovingly referred to his companion as "mutt"
they went everywhere together
mr. harvey let them into the grocerry store
he said hello to mutt and ruffled his ears
mutt and the old man smiled
how are you today
i'm fine
do you need any help out
i think we have it covered
mutt and the old man walked through the canned food aisle
the old man wanted to make spaghetti tonight
but on his way to getting the bag
there was a terrible pain through his arm
the old man gasped
his knees grew week
mutt cried out
something's wrong
this isn't supposed to happen
mr. harvey heard the commotion
he came around the corner
he called an ambulance
and raced him off to the hospital
mr. harvey called the old man's son
and he came to pick up the dog
they rushed off to the hospital
the old man was wired to many machines
the nurse told him that he had a heart attack
he would be fine
two years later he was forced into a retirement home
he and mutt to the very end
the old man was fine with whatever they did
as long as he kept his friend
the nurses all didn't mind mutt
he was the sweetest thing you've ever seen
he always behaved himself
and slept at the foot of the old man's bed
then one night
it happened again
the pain had returned
but there was no turning back from this
death had come for him again
and it would win this time
mutt barked out, it tried to scare death away
but it was no use
when it was over, mutt sat on the old man's bed
and bawled
the nurses hurried to his room
but they knew when they saw
the old man had died
it was april again
two thousand and nine
seven years since the old man had brought mutt home
seven years wasting away
he was a german sheppard/labrador mix
and they were still dear