| I met up with Jim Dunne today A friend from days of old He had a yarn to tell me Here's the story that he told: It was just approaching sundown When I chanced upon the three And at first I thought my eyesight Must be playing tricks on me For strolling very slowly Along my river flat Was a most unlikely trio A donkey, horse and cat They looked so lost and weary The years had clasped all three But the bond of love that tied them Was so very plain to see I'd never seen the three before And to this very day I think they were deserted When a circus passed our way They'd passed the stage of usefulness No pity had been shown They'd been left by those who'd used them To face life on their own Three animals so innocent Some cold heart could condemn You can call me sentimental But my heart went out to them I was determined to protect them They'd face no further harm Their remaining years they'd spend in peace Just wandering 'round my farm They stopped as I approached them I was frightened they would run But they calmly seemed to realise Their new life had begun They were in such poor condition That I doubted they'd survive But I swore I'd do my damndest To keep them all alive Horse and donkey wore a halter A badly fashioned thing They were made from frayed and twisted rope And tied with bits of string I stroked the horse and donkey While the cat sat at my feet And I felt that special feeling That you get when true friends meet I didn't have to coax them They followed at my heel And I reached the very limit Of how pleased a man can feel I feared the cat might suffer From exposure to the cold Because just like horse and donkey She was very, very old I stabled horse and donkey But no matter how I tried The cat refused to leave them She stayed steadfast at their side Their stables were left open So they'd be free to roam This was not to be a prison It was their retirement home They'd greet me every morning With their friendship on display An honest, wordless welcome That humans can't convey Each afternoon at three o'clock They'd share a snack with me Horse and donkey would have biscuits And the cat loved sugared tea For three years they were happy They just wandered 'round the place And they always walked together At a very steady pace Their bond was very special It was such a precious sight They'd spend all day together And sleep together every night Three animals of different breed A donkey, horse and cat Yet no barrier stood between them I think man could learn from that They loved each others company And though they wandered free Where ever you found one of them You'd always find the three They enjoyed the lush, green meadow And each evening you could bet They'd be standing 'neath their favourite tree Until the sun had set The horse began to weaken And his eyesight had grown dim The donkey walked close at his side As if protecting him The cat was usually silent But one night it wailed and cried When I went out to investigate I found the horse had died With heavy heart I buried him Beneath his favourite tree And though my grief was heavy His friends grieved more than me The two friends were despondent It was sad how they'd behave They would spend most days just standing At their missing comrade's grave The donkey's health was failing He grew weaker every day He missed his friend so badly He just seemed to fade away My tears were freely flowing Despite my manly pride As I carefully dug his resting place Close to his best friend's side The cat ignored the stables She avoided them with care I think she kept the memory Of her two friends living there She now lived in the house with me She'd slumber on my bed And I'd hear her softly purring As I stroked her ageing head But at first light every morning Her loss was so profound She'd wander out to join her friends 'Til night time came around Though both friends had departed Still all her love she gave She'd sit in silent mourning Beside their silent grave Old age finally claimed her Her love was deep and true She left this world without regret To join the other two I have two halters on the wall They hang in pride of place They keep so fresh the memory Of three friends I can't replace Their friendship never wavered They were steadfast to the end They could teach so many humans What it means to be a friend Though mankind had forsaken them All hurt they rose above For they had such abundance Of the treasure we call love From a chair on my veranda I can see a gentle mound And in this peaceful setting The three friends can be found I loved the three so dearly And when I stand 'neath their tree I think how much I miss them And how deep real love can be I recall how they accepted me Right from the very first The emotion swells inside me Til I feel my heart will burst I never gave them 'human' names They had no need for that So a small plaque just states simply 'Here sleeps Donkey, Horse, and Cat' K.D. Abbott © 2008 |
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