Loving, trusting, morning greeting
Sleepy and content
Ever faithful 
Curled up by my side
Greyed muzzle resting on my shoulder
Gentle breathing to welcome my day

I whisper “Hamlet”
An ear flicks
Paws twitch in bouncing dream
A grey lashed eye opens
Deep brown eyes misted by age
A warm tongue kisses my nose
I return the affection lips to fur

A stretch of stiff joints
And an arthriticy spine
A lifting of a leg for a tummy tickle
Standing, the last of sleep shaken from fur
Our companioned day has started