Give Me a Red Coat

Princess in Her Red Coat

Give Me a Red Coat 

by Susan Fay

Give me a red coat

That I may cover my years

And walk with you as I have

These past twelve

~

Make me again sleek

And fast as the wind

Cavorting with life

My energy strong

~

Give me a red coat

That you may not look

Upon my frail

Boney frame

~

Make my heart beat strong

As my utterly charming

And sincere brown eyes gaze

Up at you in canine adoration

~

Make my tail wag so you'll know

You've been my world

Since that glorious day

When you walked

Into the pound and, from the long row of dogs

When I was already seven years old,

You reached out and

Made me yours

~

Give me a red coat

To hide my shame

For the extra work demanded by my nineteen years

The special food you so lovingly prepare

The hand feeding I adore,

Not so much for the food

As for the chance to lick your fingers

There's the Adequan

You draw up into the syringe twice weekly

Carefully injecting it into my muscles

To help stave off

The terrible pain in my joints

~

Even now, in my winter

I will run like a pup

On our walks to the barn

So you can feel my joy

At being your dog

My joy that you are my human

~

I ask God to make me ready

For the end that is nearing

When the only appetite I'm left

Is that of your comfort

~

And when I am done with this life

~

Bury me in my red coat

So your last glimpse of me in this form

Is not of ravaged body, but beauty and kindness

And a life well lived

Give me a final resting place

In sight of the front door

So that you may see the flowers and blossoms

You'll surely plant over me

~

Be sure, dear one, when your time draws near

And it's time to cover your years

To follow my example

By flaunting a marvelous red coat

So that you, too

May go in style

~

Give Me a Red Coat, copyright 2012 by Susan Fay. All rights reserved. If you would like to reprint this poem, please contact me at susan.fay@coho.net. Thank you!