Glorious seventeenth, my darling Jake
And though I know that your joints ache
And though the last year has been hard
(On both of us, if you'll beg my pard)
You still cling so tight to life
And make it through despite the strife
You grow more precious every day
I love you in every single way
You have gained a growing taste for laps
On which to curl and take your naps
Or cuddle for a little kiss
(Do you wonder why I tell you this?)
For all these years, you've been my friend
My love for you sure has no end
And though you're getting up in years
You had better have no fears
That my love undying for your purr
My endless stroking of your fur
Will never cease or slow their pace
As longs as your tongue licks my face
Which will be, I hope, a while more
Lying happily on the floor
Looking up, eyes yellow-green
I love you Jake, you're seventeen.
Copyright © Mark Rosengarten
April 15, 1999
