Ode To a Devil Dog

I shall not linger, tarry, where, Beneath the oaks, out of the glare, I had a dog to bury, ere I lose control, emotions flare. Among the roots, precise, with care, There was so little room to spare: A cairn of rock so none would dare To dig, to make inquiry there. Failed him, of this I'm great aware. At times, a bit too much to bear. It is a tragic, sad affair, And so I dug internment lair. The two of us, a bonded pair. That wondrous coat of fine black hair! But, damn! His actions: hard to square. With growling, fearful, narrowed stare, Attacked an infant, small and fair; Gave all of us an awful scare. I vowed demise, a solemn swear. The righteous end, and yet, beware: 'Twas grief, not vengeance, in the air, Commended with a tearful prayer. ---------- (In memory of Dizzy, the devil dog, a border collie I had for about 10 years, but had to put down when he attacked my grandson. The experience is not recent, but the emotion is still raw after all these years)