I grabbed Dad’s favorite rock
and I jammed it
in the loose earth
near the head of where
my dear old friend lay buried

and I thought I was done
Crying
then my brother came home
Early
and the whole damn family
gathered round and
had a cry again

And the collar’s in the shed
with the leash, it’s in the shed
and I’ll miss my dear friend dearly
underneath Dad’s favorite rock –
the one that’s actually
an ancient tree.

(Goodbye)