Loving friend, the gift of one
Who her own true faith has run
 Through thy lower nature,
Be my benediction said
With my hand upon thy head,
 Gentle fellow-creature!

Like a lady's ringlets brown,
Flow thy silken ears adown
 Either side demurely
Of thy silver-suited breast
Shining out from all the rest
 Of thy body purely.

Darkly brown thy body is,
Till the sunshine striking this
 Alchemise its dullness,
When the sleek curls manifold
Flash all over into gold
 With a burnished fulness.

Underneath my stroking hand,
Startled eyes of hazel bland
 Kindling, growing larger,
Up thou leapest with a spring,
Full of prank and curveting,
 Leaping like a charger.

Leap! thy broad tail waves a light,
Leap! thy slender feet are bright,
 Canopied in fringes;
Leap! those tasselled ears of thine
Flicker strangely, fair and fine
 Down their golden inches

Yet, my pretty, sportive friend,
Little is't to such an end
 That I praise thy rareness;
Other dogs may be thy peers
Haply in these drooping ears
 And this glossy fairness.

But of thee it shall be said,
This dog watched beside a bed
 Day and night unweary,
Watched within a curtained room
Where no sunbeam brake the gloom
 Round the sick and dreary.

Roses, gathered for a vase,
In that chamber died apace,
 Beam and breeze resigning;
This dog only, waited on,
Knowing that when light is gone
 Love remains for shining.

Other dogs in thymy dew
Tracked the hares and followed through
 Sunny moor or meadow;
This dog only, crept and crept
Next a languid cheek that slept,
 Sharing in the shadow.

Other dogs of loyal cheer
Bounded at the whistle clear,
 Up the woodside hieing;
This dog only, watched in reach
Of a faintly uttered speech
 Or a louder sighing.

And if one or two quick tears
Dropped upon his glossy ears
 Or a sigh came double,
Up he sprang in eager haste,
Fawning, fondling, breathing fast,
 In a tender trouble.

And this dog was satisfied
If a pale thin hand would glide
 Down his dewlaps sloping, --
Which he pushed his nose within,
After, -- platforming his chin
 On the palm left open.

This dog, if a friendly voice
Call him now to blither choice
 Than such chamber-keeping,
'Come out!' praying from the door, --
Presseth backward as before,
 Up against me leaping.

Therefore to this dog will I,
Tenderly not scornfully,
 Render praise and favor:
With my hand upon his head,
Is my benediction said
 Therefore and for ever.

And because he loves me so,
Better than his kind will do
 Often man or woman,
Give I back more love again
Than dogs often take of men,
 Leaning from my Human.

Blessings on thee, dog of mine,
Pretty collars make thee fine,
 Sugared milk make fat thee!
Pleasures wag on in thy tail,
Hands of gentle motion fail
 Nevermore, to pat thee

Downy pillow take thy head,
Silken coverlid bestead,
 Sunshine help thy sleeping!
No fly's buzzing wake thee up,
No man break thy purple cup
 Set for drinking deep in.

Whiskered cats arointed flee,
Sturdy stoppers keep from thee
 Cologne distillations;
Nuts lie in thy path for stones,
And thy feast-day macaroons
 Turn to daily rations!

Mock I thee, in wishing weal? --
Tears are in my eyes to feel
 Thou art made so straitly,
Blessing needs must straiten too, --
Little canst thou joy or do,
 Thou who lovest greatly.

Yet be blessed to the height
Of all good and all delight
 Pervious to thy nature;
Only loved beyond that line,
With a love that answers thine,
 Loving fellow-creature!