The Long Journey Home

Where have you been , Oh where have you been
man's best friend, I'll love you till the end
Where have you gone, Oh where have you gone
I've waited for you, I've waited so long
please come home now, please come home to me
I'm all alone without my furry friend next to me
we use to cuddle on the couch,
I use to put milkbones in your mouth
I'm missing you my friend, please come home again
I lost you once before, you ran right out the door 
but where are you now, hope your not at the pound
they might just put you down, and then I'd hold a frown
It's been two weeks today, since my best friend ran away
you slipped right out the gate, come home to me I'll wait
wait for you to come , playin' with you was so much fun
now these days seem so long, since you've been gone
A few more days go by, I keep putting up more signs
I keep reading all the lines, hoping somebody will find
bring back my best friend, I'm so lonely without him
I need you next to my side, we use to go on car rides
I looked for you at the park, I just heard some other dogs bark
I went back to the creek,  and in the woods where campers sleep
there was a tent and small campfire, there was a fence of barbwire
I saw some tangled hair , and even some blood over there
far back beyond a crooked tree, I heard a cry that frightened me
I ran behind a broken shed , where empty shotgun shells lay around the head . I knew it was him laying on the ground , I  couldn't see who had shot him down. I laid there with him through those final breaths
until his eyes shut and all was death. I was so sad my friend was gone
but I knew I must be strong. I found a shovel in that shed , where I laid my old dog fred. Then I piled up the dirt, and knew no longer would he hurt.
He never made it back home. All the next days I was alone.