Little huffy ball of pain
you snuffled and shuffled and furiously
stared at everyone around you till the
very end,
except,
except when you looked at me,
when you curled up in my hands,
when you burrowed that wet little nose
into my chest and I kept you close
to my beating heart,
you relaxed.
I connected to your curmudgeonly soul
and I melted, pulling you into a
wave of love,
safety pulsing through my palms
you closed those angry eyes
and slept.