In those days people heated their houses
With oil delivered by big trucks
I watched when such a truck
Brought about the death of my dog Sam

And it is wrong of me to make a claim of causation
For Sam was the cleverest of dogs
Who could climb a fence to practice
A nasty and infamous habit

For Sam was a chaser of automobiles
Who died when he attempted bigger prey
I was watching when he leaped
And caught a bumper or stairstep square in the back

He yelped
And for several seconds through the gutter
He dragged with his forepaws
The inert hindquarters

He collapsed and my mother commanded firmly
That none should approach the body
For fear that Sam would awaken in death fury
To attack his loving master

The driver saw what had happened
He came to the door to offer payment
And my mother reassured the man
That no payment was necessary

The death was bad
But far worse were the long seconds of the dragging
Running from death
Clinging to a life of suffering