Excerpts from Jimmy Stewart's poem "Beau."

He recited from the poem during a 1981 appearance on
"The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson.

He never came to me when I would call
Unless I had a tennis ballOr he felt like it.
But mostly he didn't come at all.
He would charge up the street with Mom hanging on.
What a beautiful pair they were!
And if it was still light and the tourists were outThey created a bit of a stir.
And now he's dead.

And there are nights when I think I feel him
Climb upon our bed and lie between usAnd I pat his head.
And there are nights when I think
I feel that stare
And I reach out my hand to stroke his hair.
But he's not there.
Ohhow I wish that wasn't so.
I'll always love a dog named Beau.

The spirit of German Shepherd Dog

I was standing on a hillside
In a field of blowing wheat
And the spirit of a German Shepherd Dog
Was lying at my feet.

He looked at me with kind dark eyes
An ancient wisdom shining through
And in the essence of his being
I saw love there too.

His mind did lock upon my heart
As I stood there on that day
And he told me of this story
About a place so far away.

I stood upon that hillside
In a field of blowing wheat
And in a twinkling of a second
His spirit left my feet.

His tale did put my heart at ease
My fears did fade away
About what lay ahead of me
On another distant day.

“I live among God’s creatures now
In the heavens of your mind
So do not grieve for memy friend
As I am with my kind.

My collar is a rainbow’s hue
My leash a shooting star
My boundaries are the Milky Way
Where I sparkle from afar.

There are no pens or kennels here
For I am not confined
But free to roam God’s heavens
Among my Shepherd kind.

I nap the day on a snowy cloud
Gentle breezes rocking me
And dream the dreams of earthlings
And how it used to be.

The trees are full of liver treats
And tennis balls abound
And Milkbones line the walkways
Just waiting to be found.

There even is a ring set up
The grass all lush and green
And everyone who gaits around
Becomes the Best of Breed.

For we’re all winners in this place
We have no faultsyou see
And God passes out those ribbons
To each oneeven me.

I drink from waters laced with gold
My world a beauty to behold
And wise old dogs do form my pride
To amble at my very side.

At night I sleep in an angel’s arms
Her wings protecting me
And moonbeams dance about us
As stardust falls on thee.

So when your life on earth is spent
And you stand at Heaven’s gate
Have no fear of loneliness
For hereyou know I wait.

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