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A Tribute For Max
by Jane Bratton
We've come to know a bit about you
in the six years since we rescued you.
We learned we couldn't cage you,
and you loved the freedom.
Each room was yours--
each chair, each dresser, everything we introduced to the house
became yours, cause you marked it with your dewlap with that secret scent we couldn't smell :)
You were so funny.
You'd sleep in the sun by day and play all night,
and we'd hear you running,
tearing off from room to room.
"Listen," we'd say, "Max has a wild hair (hare?)up his butt."
And we'd laugh, and in the morning, or when Wes came home from work,
you'd be there, waiting by the frig for
parsley or greens or spinach or a carrot or a sweet fruit treat.
(We learned you even liked popcorn, and when we'd make it, you'd come sniffing around for some, plain, please, no butter or salt needed.)
You weren't one to be held in our arms,
but you were affectionate all the same,
and we'd get on the floor next to you,
and your whiskers would tickle our faces as
you offered us your nose for sweet bunny kisses.
Then in December, you started getting tumors.
One after another.
As you grew weaker each day this week,
I kept watch for subtle signs of pain, discomfort,
because I knew rabbits, when in pain,
would go off somewhere in a dark, quiet corner and grit their teeth.
But you never did that.
You just wanted more and more love,
which I tried to give.
Then Saturday morning, I noticed a small tumor growing on your lip.
And I knew we'd have to put you down,
but in the meantime,
we bought a syringe, and I gave you some juice.
And then, with what had to be a final burst of strength,
you jumped on the foot of our bed last night, keeping vigil while we slept.
(To my knowledge, you'd never done that before.)
Then at 3 a.m., I heard an animal screech,
and you were on the floor, next to our bed,
and you were dying,
and Wes picked you up and held you,
and I petted you,
until you took your last breath.
Circle of life, circle of love.
And the parting?
Why, I'll never, ever forget.
Comments would be appreciated by the
author, Jane Bratto
321-784-1468 Tech Support
