For An Old Friend

waiting for the next snowball

Bright eyes
tail wagging furiously,
That excited bark,
Turning in circles
At the door.
Begging
no -demanding-
to come along.

Smelling
bear, coyote, bobcat,
or The Other Dog.
Ready to go-

To
Run swift,
Run strong,
Run Joyously.

But,
I also see the limp,
Eyes dulled with pain,
as you stand up.

So
I run alone.
Missing you at my side,
Running
through sun flickering among leaves,
through mud puddles,
up the hills
and back home
where you wait for me.

But
We still amble together.
And the scent of
bear, coyote, bobcat,
And The Other Dog,
Still carries you –
in memory –
swift, strong and joyously.
Beyond today and
Back to yesterday.

And I go with you
because I remember too
Old Friend.

Joanne Siderius, 2013