Bunker

A roaming spirit can lead to a smelly untimely end.

He was the very best dog

Chased the chickens

Out of the yard,

Ran with us after the tractor

When dad came in from the field

But most of all he let us love him.

He was a large collie dog

And to us an amazing feat

Was to watch him clear

The back yard fence

With an effortless graceful leap

Most of all, he liked to wander

Sometimes days at a time

He’d visit grandpa and grandma

Three miles away we’d find

He’d hop in the back of the pickup truck

For a ride back home at times.

On one return we soon knew

He’d tangled with a skunk

Beside some nasty wounds

Bunker really stunk!

A week or two later

Dad came through the door

And put the rifle on its rack

Tears filled his eyes as he told his boys

I had to shoot Bunker today

He won’t be coming back.