Child

The thought hits me sometimes
like a bolt from the blue, that

what if this wagging tail
falters into a paralyzed piece of fur
some day?
What if your star-packed, brown eyes
locked with my grief-packed eyes
for a few last minutes?

Who crawls into bed
with me for a snuggle, then?
Who scratches at the door when
my keys make a sound then?

And who
mends my heart then?