Hunter
Hunter
Mike Segreto
Dad brought you home and you jumped out of his arms
and ran around the yard.
Your howl told me
that you’ve never seen grass before.
The warmth of your fur when you slept at the foot of my bed,
keeping me safe every night.
Your snores were louder than mine,
but I found comfort in the noise.
Fall was your favorite season,
And you blended in with the brown leaves.
Until I saw your tail that stood straight up.
It looked like the tip was dipped in white paint.
Your bite was hard,
when I got a little too close to your food.
I know you didn’t mean it and I forgave you,
but the scar is still pretty ugly.
Your face got grayer,
and you couldn’t make it up the stairs anymore.
That’s when you stopped sleeping in my bed,
and doing tricks for cookies.
Mom picked you up
and brought you out the front door.
I kissed your face and stroked your ears.
Your big eyes told me that you were tired of fighting.
