ALL HEART

WE HAVE FREQUENTLY HEARD IT SAID

AND HAVE ALL PROBABLY READ

THAT A DOG IS MAN’S BEST FRIEND

IT IS EVEN SAFE TO SAY

THAT THE MASTERS THAT THEY OBEY

WOULD SURELY OFTEN CONTEND

A DOG IS MANY THINGS IN ONE

NOT THE LEAST A HARBINGER OF FUN

ALWAYS READY TO JOIN IN PLAY

THE DOG WILL ALWAYS BE BY YOUR SIDE

AND LOVES TO GO FOR A RIDE

BUT WILL SIT TIGHT WHEN COMMANDED TO STAY

THIS LOYAL BEAST IS UNUSUALLY SMART

AND EXHIBITS AN IMAGE OF “ALL HEART”

NO MATTER WHAT HIS BREED

THE SQUARE OF HIS STANCE AND INTENSITY OF HIS EYES

MANIFEST COURAGE THAT HIS TAIL BELIES

AS HE LONGS FOR ORDERS THAT HE CAN HEED

IN THE FIELD HE WILL CIRCLE ABOUT

AND COME TO THE SOUND OF YOUR SHOUT

AS HE WORKS TO PLEASE HIS MASTER

IF YOU CALL HIM TO RETURN TO HEEL

THERE’S A PRIDE THAT YOU CERTAINLY FEEL

AS YOU WATCH HIM RUN ALL THAT MUCH FASTER

FETCH IS A WORD THE DOG UNDERSTANDS

AND YOU CAN SEE IT AS HIS CHEST EXPANDS

HIS MAIN PURPOSE IN LIFE IS TO PLEASE

HE BOUNDS FORTH WITH A MIGHTY EXHALE

TO RETRIEVE, TRACK OR POINT TO QUAIL

AND CHASE COONS UP THE HIGHEST OF TREES

DID GOD IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM

BRING DOGS INTO HIS EARTHLY KINGDOM

KNOWING FULL WELL THAT HE MIGHT IMPART

A WONDERFUL LIVING, BREATHING PUP

THAT WHEN NURTURED WITH LOVE WHILE GROWING UP

WOULD BECOME THE EPITOME OF HEART

ALL HEART(cont’d)

AT DAYS END WHILE CURLED AT YOUR FEET

THERE’S NO QUESTION THE BOND IS COMPLETE

EVEN AT REST HE IS PREPARED TO DEFEND

REMEMBER THAT THE DOG RIGHT FROM THE START

HAS BEEN COURAGE AND LOYALTY SURROUNDED BY HEART

BUT MOST OF ALL HE’S BEEN MAN’S BEST FRIEND

CKR

3/18/98