Duffy

A weary whimper and soft sigh

Went almost unnoticed that day.

Our lives limped drearily along

Washed out; devoid of colour

Bereft of our scalliwag pet.

*

His absence had dragged on and on and on

No explanation nor resolution…

In vain, our eyes had searched

Our had minds futilely spun

Our shattered hearts ached.

*

A tendency to range and rove

Always on the scrounge

With his snowy tail

A flag flying high

In the wake of his passing.

*

A nonchalant wanderer…

Adept at climbing ladders in search of a snack

Stranded! Sans help to climb back down

Expert boarding kennel Escape Artist,

He’d scale tall fences to race us back home.

*

A grand life for a free spirited dog

Until, that fateful day… when he trotted off

Left us watching and waiting back home…

Gone! Without a trace!

Days fled… hope dwindled.

*

Now… Duffy Dog

Our ancient bitzer

Was unbelievably

Inexplicably

Back from the dead!

*

Paw pads shredded and sore

Gaunt like a dingo in a drought

Weary beyond his years

Those missing few weeks

Almost bested him!

*

No evidence of snake bite demise

Nor close encounter with a speeding car

No unscheduled ‘holiday’ at The Pound

Nor kindly citizen giving a ‘Stray’, a warm home

Most likely… stolen for Pit Bull fighting!

*

Like the Prodigal Son, of Old

We rejoiced over our Prodigal Pooch!

Dear old Duffy had been through the wringer

Now, his days were snoozed away

Curled up tightly in his bed.

*

Written for the challenge below. Inspired by the escapades of my family dog — decades ago— when I was growing up.

A more recent doggy drama: