A Kipling poem

I wish someone had given Jesus a dog

As loyal and loving as mine

To sleep by His manger and gaze in His eyes

And adore Him for being divine.

As our Lord grew to manhood His faithful dog

Would have followed Him all through the day

While He preached to the crowds and made the sick well

And knelt in the garden to pray.

It is sad to remember that Christ went away

To face death alone and apart

With no tender dog following close behind

To comfort its Master's Heart.

And when Jesus rose on that Easter morn

How happy He would have been

As His dog kissed His hands and barked its delight

For The One who died for all men.

Well, the Lord has a dog now, I just sent Him mine

the old pal so dear to me

And I smile through my tears on this first day alone

Knowing they're in eternity. Day after day, the whole day through

Wherever my road inclined

Four feet said, „I am coming with you!“

And trotted along behind.

 

(Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936))