Charlie Poem

Hey guys,
I've been thinking lately about my dog (RIP) Charlie. I want a new dog... but I feel bad when I say that. I feel like I'm killing his memory by wanting another dog... like I'm trying to replace him or something. I wrote a free-verse poem about his life and his life with us.

Charlie's Life
This new world is a stranger to me.
I see my sister and mother and father,
But mostly nothing else.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see an excited young female.

She looks over at me,
Our eyes meet.
I walk over to where she was standing behind the small fence.
She tugs on her mother's sleeve and says: “Mommy, that one is Oreo and that one is Charlie.”

The young family leaves to go and buy supplies for their newest edition to their family.
When they return a few short weeks later, I am taken away from my precious mother.
Who will feed me now?
This new family will, they have chosen me to go to their home.

They put me on a soft forest green cloth in the backseat next to the young girl.
I discover soon that I feel ill.
I am scared.
I don't enjoy this moving vehicle.

We reach a small development of town houses.
We drive and park in front of the one on the end of the street.
So this is where I live now, I thought to myself.
I whimpered slightly, for the man picked me up to get out of the car.

I walked into the area and found an oddly shaped seat.
I try to jump on to it,
But I realize that I am too small and weak.
The little girl comes over and waves a strange toy in my face.

I bite into the rope,
This looks like fun.
I shake my head back and forth,
To try and take the toy from her.

I succeed and see steps that lead to the upper level of the acute house.
I am able to climb up the stairs.
I look around this new habitat carefully.
When I reach the staircase again, I can't go back down.

My new master sees my wariness, and carries me down the stairs.
I see a metal cage.
It looks comfy,
Despite the metal bars surrounding it.

I grow quickly.
In just a few weeks,
I can see and feel the difference in my body size.
I guess I won't get that big.

I am almost one year old in people years.
I am let outside with my master and Megan, the young girl who chose me what seems like so long ago.
I see a brown fence surrounding the entire backyard.
I don't see the fun in that.

My master throws an object over my head.
I get the urge to run after it.
I catch up with the colorful sphere,
And I bring it back to him to throw again.

I have lived here for three years and there is a new sound in the house.
A very small item wrapped in a blanket comes to my home.
It starts to wail.
I cry too. This crying object appeals to me in the strangest way. I feel that I must protect it from everything.

I am in the dreadful car.
I keep hearing the word vet.
What is this strange word?
What does it mean?

I am on a red leash when I jump nervously out of the silver car.
I start to walk over to the door with Master.
We walk in and he says my name, “Charlie Clark.”
Then, a man in a white coat comes out and takes us into a small room with a bed in the center.

I am lifted on to it and the man starts inspecting me.
I suppose he was looking to ensure my health was fantastic.
Then, I get a sharp needle put into my side.
So this is external pain, I said to myself. I had felt internal pain when I was scolded.

When the needle was finally removed,
I was rowdy.
I wanted to do everything in my power
To make sure I didn't have to return here.

I got my wish.
The Clark's started putting all of our possessions in brown boxes.
Then the boxes were stored in a large truck.
Where are my families things being taken?

They were taken to a small apartment.
This was interesting.
No stairs to go up and down, unless we were leaving to go out somewhere.
I doubted I would ever be leaving.

Only a few short months we were living in this tiny apartment.
Then our things were re-packed up
And put in another van.
We stop a few hours later in front of a house that was much different than anywhere I had ever lived.

I hopped out of the car with Megan.
I saw many other children playing outside.
Maybe Megan can find some friends here.
I thought that this place was going to be fun!

I go throughout the house and search.
I am let out into the backyard and I see a small body of water.
Master calls it a pool.
There was a small white, moving object on the bottom.

I chased it around and around
Until my poor paws started to hurt.
I saw red liquid coming from them.
Blood.

Megan leaves for school the same day Master's wife goes to the hospital.
Master's wife comes home a few days later with another small bundle in her arms.
This child didn't cry.
I was glad at this moment, it made me sad when my family was sad.

It is summer time again,
And everyone gets their bathing suits on.
I go out to run around the pool again.
I was careful not to run too fast, so my paws wouldn't get scratched.

Then Megan climbs up on to a white board hovering the water's edge.
She takes a running leap
And lands in the water.
Oh no! She must be drowning!

I barked because I was scared.
When she came up on the other side,
I was relieved and started yelling at her.
“Stop barking, Charlie. I am fine,” she commanded me.

So many things have changed in my span of life with the Clark's.
The children, Megan, Melanie, and Meredith, grew quickly
And I couldn't be happier with any other family.
Then it is time for the vet's again. Even though I had been there so many times before, I was frightened.

Master puts me in the car
And drives to my doctor's office.
I admit, I have bitten a few people
But they kept pestering me.

When I walked into the small room,
I was given a shot again.
I had been getting a lot lately.
I couldn't understand the doctor's words; They weren't familiar to me.

The vet told Master that this would just calm me down,
But not hurt me in any way at all.
I look at my master with tired eyes.
Why was I suddenly so exhausted?

Little did I know that this would be the last time that I would see him.
I looked over at the vet.
I lay my head down on to my paws to let him examine me.
I closed my eyes as if to sleep. I never opened them again.

I will admit,
I had my ups and downs with the Clark family.
I didn't think that they would miss me this much.
I looked down upon them from where I am now.

I saw him tell Melanie, Meredith, his wife, and Megan the awful news.
I was dead. I wouldn't be coming home.
They cried for a long time.
I wanted to go to them and tell them that I was sorry.

I miss them so much.
I look at them everyday.
I watch as they quarrel and make up.
They have forgotten about me I am sure.

Then I see Megan's room. There are many photo's of me on the walls.
Some that were somewhat recent,
Some that were from when I was a puppy,
And I realized that they care about me even though I am not with them anymore.

~*~*~*~

Please comment ;) I miss my dog a lot, and I like to think that he can look down from wherever he is and he can read everything that I write and watch me all the time. I think he'd like this :)

<3