Olyver, My Boy

10 years of friendship, with your love for all to see

Never once thought about the interactions between you and me

We’ve been refused service and food, held one another in conditions a little more than crude

Dwelt in areas that most can’t fathom, never once imagined others would be so rude

You’ve been on planes, buses, and trains, cuddled in the muddiest of rains

Once a cute little pup, who didn’t know what was up, only love pouring from your veins

The times you were sprayed by skunks, kept going back for more, I think you thought it was fun

The bears, cats, snakes and other wild things, the trips to the hospital and many other places, to just do what we’ve gotten done

We’ve slept in fields and behind piles of trash, slept in places even worse than any of that.

Invited by few, even in the morning dew

To share a meal or an abode, so many trees you have peed alongside a road

In the desert full of sand, even in the mountains, you have been my right hand man

The only being to have my back, far better than most people, heck they can’t imagine that

Laid down in a sleeping bag off of a wheelchair, woke up to find that very few actually care

Slept in temperatures in the lowest of degree, thank you my best friend for being there for me

As you grow older, your love doesn’t diminish, it is undying no need to replenish

Watching you run when you were young, and now at times a stride, is hard for you to abide

You’re growing lethargic, and I sense and see your pain

You have been the only one to be there for me, it’s my turn to do the same

Seeing your love in all it can be, the morning licks to my face

A familiarity, I have grown to know, and can never be replaced

As we grew close over the years, all I have is a heart of love and eyes swelling from a duct for my tear

Thank you Olyver, for simply being you, a whole lot I can say, but I can summarize it with “I love you, come here.”

A pat on the head, a long belly rub, a morning hug, and a face full of your hair

Thanks my puppy for your love, concern, and care

— Corey Bracken, Brown County native