In Memory of Snowflake: A National Dog Day Poem

This is a poem for National Dog Day in memory of my White German Shepherd, Snowflake.

I remember the day we got Snowflake
I was an only child
and she was the runt of the litter, sick and dying
my Grandmother and I brought her home
in hopes of saving her
she was so small
we had to feed her
with an eye dropper every couple of hours
and cuddle her to keep her warm
with our loving care she survived
and soon we were running around the kitchen table
I was dragging an old rope
while she was chasing it with glee
the seasons quickly passed
as she grew into a beautiful dog
we spent moonlit winter nights
running in the glistening snow
as she chased me to catch my feet
till I fell to the ground
laughing as she licked my face
she was my companion, my friend
and I never spent a day alone
we even had a favorite trick that we'd do
just to scare my friends
I would pat my chest with my hand twice
and she would jump up with her paws on my shoulders
I'd grab the fur on her cheeks and growl at her
then she would bare her teeth and growl savagely
scaring every onlooker with her "viciousness"
but making me laugh so hard I'd cry
while Snowflake happily wagged her tail
with a "grin" on her face
she was my protector
on those nights I spent alone as a child
afraid of a storm or a noise in the house
that she would growl and bark at to keep me safe
but she was gone all too quickly
when she ran across the road to play with a dog
that was visiting the vet
she ran back to me in obedience when called
but never made it across the highway
that claimed other beloved pets
over the years
I was struck by grief as I felt anger and guilt
anger that the vehicle didn't even try to slow down
or stop after hitting her
and guilt that I hadn't gone across the street to get her
instead of calling her home
I was still a child and my mother had died
didn't they know that I needed my dog
my companion, my friend, my protector
gone forever....never to be replaced
but the years have gone by
fading the anger and pain
and though tears still come to my eyes
at the memory of her death
I still have all the wonderful memories
of the childhood years we had together