My Biggest Regret

He was only a sheepdog But his death has bitten Into my soul ever since. As a pup we brought Him from his home In Ireland Where supernumeraries Are drowned No small farm needing More than one mutt. His reddish brown brother Had been our first choice We were left , my father-in-law's choice, With the black and white collie. Now his residence would be A Scottish housing estate We all grew to love him I became his alpha male How his ears would prick up And he would sit attentively At the window, Awaiting my usual time of arrival With a welcome where, With tail wagging furiously His paws would reach up to my chest As he sought to lick my face From strength to strength he grew A tireless walker,chewer of carpets Chaser of sticks and thief of Sunday roasts How we all used to smile When he darted to the opposite end of the room Whenever my son burst into tears. This had to be his way Of saying,"Don't blame me." He was right at home Running round the street With a gaggle of kids He found his true metier On returning to the farm Where he was born For two days he sat And watched his brother Bringing in the cows And then relieved him Of his duties This task he performed With great gusto While his brother skulked off Glad to be relieved Of his daily chore He was so much at home On the farm Revelling in the freedom, Enjoying the work And he was so much bigger And more energetic than his brother Tragedy struck On our return home Tied to the garage door To keep him from getting Under my wife's feet Meant he could not run away When a little girl kept blowing In his face Self-defence saw him Nipping her in the neck. That is what sealed His death warrant Gloom settled over our home That nip might have been fatal Fatal it was for him The death sentence was passed That last long walk Was our rush to judgment. We walked slowly His head hung low Never had I known Him so quiet He entered the killing room Unflinching and calm The vet's needle did the deed Seeing his young body Stretched lifeless On that cold dark slab Has burned my soul With remorse Ever since