Liquidly dark, humanised, and somehow
defining each long glance
as wise beyond most of his kind,
eyes like those of Jess my dog daily mesmerized.
Never sly, but strangely asserting firm assurance,
that dog had it all,
and bypassers’ sighs of delight
who met and reflected that gaze were a sure sign.
The canine was a small model of all aliveness
like no other
I had seen, and he had an extraordinary mind.
I could only admire his masertly mission to lead
as he rounded up
all household pets helping them wash and feed.
The day he rescued one tiny and lost aviary bird
which had made an escape
was a day to remember and in which he excelled.
Despite galeforce winds, he found and nosed out
the frightened bird’s whereabouts
and whining he sat as he barked for assistance
until someone heard
which was well into evening but Jess saved the bird.
Mine was the pleasure of living with Jess of the
large eyed intelligence
on very small legs, he of the tenderest ways and
the big heart of devotion,
provided he was given the top-dog place, otherwise
one altered look from
those eyes would melt any but strongest resistance.
Long before he decided he could no longer live
without his recently
deceased brother whom he had babied for years
Jess’s appeal
was relentless, always giving and so very alert.
Every intention was registered in those fine eyes
and so soulful that look
when refusing to eat Jess pined himself into his
last dreamtime,
filled with such memories Jess left behind tears.
Eyes like those did not need words, though even
before last goodbyes
they tried to allay any fears as he went by
bestowing on me one final gaze.
I knew I would miss that wonderful dog and I did.
