My Beautiful Girl: Mimosa

by Johanna Moon
(Dallas TX, U.S.A.)

I wish
I had walked you
one last time,
or told you what a good girl you were.
I felt safe,
knowing you would protect me,
night after night.
I wish I had rubbed your belly fur,
or seen your crooked smile
that you stole clean off my face.
I would have laughed as you jumped on me,
and might even have let you knock me over.
I will always remember
your golden fur
silly smile
wagging tail that always seemed to have something stuck in it,
your chowchow nose and deep bark,even though you would only ever harm flies.
I will remember the sunny days and the stormy ones, but it never mattered because you were always outside of your house.
I will especially remember those days when you would break the leash and run off, but always come back, and wait on the porch like you owned the place.
I could go on, but I won't. I could forget, but I never will.
I will keep you in my heart, my beautiful, good, golden-haired brown-eyed girl.
You are free at last.