A Man's Best Friend

There was no one to talk to No letters he could send There was no one for him except His dog - his only friend He came home from his job And started dinner around six He sat down with his pet As she showered him with licks Sometime around eight o'clock The dog began to bark Alerting him that it was time For their walk around the park People passed them by And never said a word No one ever smiled "hello" No kinds words ever heard The dog looked at her owner As if to say, "so what" Who needs any one of them Each other's what we've got" They walked back to the house And started settling for the night They then went up the stairs After he turned out the light He climbed into his bed The dog had followed close behind This was their favorite time of day When they could both unwind He asked the Blessed Mother To protect him and his pet Laid his head down on the pillow All his problems he'd forget He hadn't even realized As he held back a yawn That somehow he'd forgotten That the burner was still on The pilot light went out And fumes were filling up the room The dog had sensed a danger An impending, fearful doom She tried to wake her owner But the man just wouldn't budge All her barking was in vain He wouldn't move upon her nudge Just then a blinding light appeared The Virgin at its core She nodded to the dog And raised a finger toward the door The dog had found the strength To pull her master by the sleeve Dragging him across the floor And out the door to leave Once outside the man awoke His dog right by his side People rushed to tell him That he had nearly died The man could hardly fathom How this tiny, little mutt Had pulled a man ten times her weight Without a scratch or cut As they walked back in the house And passed the statue in the hall The dog had stopped and cocked her head When she heard the Virgin call What the owner didn't know And couldn't see as it unfurled Was Mary reaching out To pet the dog and say, "good girl"