Lonely Old Dog (Part2) Poem by Vaughn Bekker

On the veranda sits a lonely old dog
Huddled over as if he were a frog
He pines for the old man he once knew
Who everyday for him a stick he threw
He listens quietly for any sound
For the old man`s feet across the ground
Hoping that from the house inside,
He would come out and pat his hide
For many a year at his feet he did lie
Listening as the old man would sit and sigh
He sits and listens to the rustle of the trees
As he lay outside in the cold evening breeze
he`s gotten thin as he losing all hope
Now with this heart ache he can no longer cope
His heart now heavy and full of despair
And wonders why the old man is no longer there
For every day he would come out with a smile
And the two of them would go walk for a while
He whimpers softly and lets out a sigh
Looking at the empty chair and wondering why
Days and nights he has been left all alone
Sitting guarding this empty home
Then one day they came and took all they could find
But on their departure they left him behind
and the old man`s land now they will sell
the old house just a big empty shell
The new people came and mistook him for a stray
Shouted and screamed and chased him away
Frightened he runs and in the bush he does hide
A huge dent in what once was his pride
For never before in his life had he ever seen
That any person would treat him so mean
His heart cries out to the old man
As he looks back at his old van
His confidence broken he crosses the field
Not knowing what tomorrow will yield
With a heavy heart he leaves everything he once new
The only place he`s know and from a pup he grew
He takes off leaving everything behind
Dozens of memories flashing threw his mind
For hours now he has been on the run
Wondering what it is that he has done
Frightened now by every new sound
Exhausted he lays his head on the ground
Shaking he curls up and lies on the floor
The cold winter night the life out him does draw
His body is old can no longer fight
Against this cold freezing winter night
For many a year on him the sun shone
But now all alone the old dog is gone