Jim White wrote in a message to All:

JW> It IS understandable and expected for those of us who treat them as
JW> furry kids, like we do.  USA Weekend had a nice article in the
JW> Sunday paper.  If you don't get it, go the the site listed below. 
JW> In the yellow section, click on "RelationTips Grieving lost pets"

speaking of that, your discussion with Anne on poems about dogs reminded me
of this one. IT was sent me by a very good friend after we lost rOxy, our
previous Rottweiler.



WHERE TO BURY A DOG
By Ben Lampman

There are many places to bury a beloved dog -
beneath a cherry tree, or a flowering shrub,
is an excellent place.
Beneath such trees and shrubs he slept in the drowsy summer, or gnawed at a
flavorous bone, or lifted his head
to challenge a strange intruder.
These are good places - in life or death.
Yet, it is a small matter.
For if a dog be well remembered,
if sometimes he leaps through your dreams,
actual as in life, eyes kindled, laughing, begging,
it matters not at all where the dog sleeps...
On a hill, where the wind is unrebuked,
and the trees are roaring -
or beside a stream he knew in puppyhood -
or the flatness of a pastureland,
where the cattle graze.
It is all one to the dog,
and all one to you -
nothing is gained - nothing lost,
if the memory lives.
But there is one best place to bury a dog.
And if you bury him in this sort,
he will come to you when you call -
come to you over the grim, dim frontiers of death,
and down the well remembered path to your side, again.
And though you call a dozen living dogs to heel,
they shall not growl at him,
nor resent his coming -
for he belongs there.
People may scoff at you -
people who see no lightest blade of grass bent by his footfall - people who
hear no whimper.
But these are the people who may never have had
a dog smile at them.
(And which is well worth the knowing.)
Because, you see,
the one best place to bury a dog is in
the heart of his master

Btw our Schatze will be one yhear old THis WEdnesday, May 7.

Regards,
           Richard
--- timEd 1.10.y2k+