Love Poem: To My Rhonda Jane
C. A. Burkett Avatar
Written by: C. A. Burkett

To My Rhonda Jane

Rhonda roo
Precious girl
Never knew
She ruled my world
Always there 
Always love 
Unconditional 
Protector
Baby dog
All in one.
Had to run
Liked to throw
Toys in the air.
Changed roles in stride
When baby boys arrived.
Gave up attention 
To those just mentioned.
Companion 
Patient one
Trusting love.
My sweetest one
Just like a daughter 
The love I felt.
She loved her life
She had fun
Tried to stay
To be with me
I let her go one February night
Held her in my hands
Told her it was alright
She had helped me through 
So much in my life
A constant friend
A comfort and joy
I think about how 
It all started by chance
In a far away state
On a warm spring day
She needed me
And I needed her
She looked at me 
And I rescued her
She I adored 
And she paid me back 100 times more.

Dedication to my Rhonda Jane - October 1990 to February 3, 2004 - red heeler mix dog saved from a shelter in Lawton, Oklahoma May 1991 - 1 day before she was scheduled to be gassed due to lack of space in a crowded shelter - I was visiting a college friend in town in a state halfway across the country from my home and accompanied my friend to the shelter to help her look for a dog for herself but when Rhonda looked at me I knew I couldn’t leave there without her...