We found him this past Saturday
Our beloved Chicken had passed away
His nine lives sure got used up fast
Who knew six years was as long as he'd last?

Life number one was used early in the game
He got himself stuck inside the sofa frame
Squeezed in between the corner and seat
When he was small enough to accomplish this feat

Number two came when he got to go out in the yard
Climbed a 20-foot tree, it wasn't that hard
Spent the night out in the cold, way up off the ground
Luckily Keith, the neighbor got him down

Life number three: also spent in a tree
In Milton's backyard, with German Shepherds - all three
He spent the whole night in fear and fright
Tommy rescued him this time but it took all his might

For life number four, he jumped off of a door
Onto the small of by back instead of the floor
It didn't quite kill him but almost killed me
Because I was asleep when it happened, you see

He was lucky to be alive after life number five
Seems he picked a fight with Dubba and wouldn't take a dive
Dubba bit his ears, his back and his thigh
All Chicken said was "You should see the other guy!"

Jeff M's house was the setting for life number six
Came face to face with a possum from out in the sticks
It crawled up from the basement to gobble Chick's chow
Too chicken to chase him, he woke me with his meow

Number seven proved that his judgment was bad
He was not using all of the good sense that he had
Made the mistake of biting one of Big John's big toes
Got tossed in the closet with the shoes and the clothes

Last summer he used up life number eight
Had a tainted mouse for supper, almost waited too late
Got rushed to the doctor for drugs, blood, an I.V.
But was too grumpy to stay and was released to me

This week was, sadly, time for life number nine
I will sure miss that feisty cat of mine
Goodbye, Little Chicken - Good Luck and Godspeed
Thanks for teaching me a new way to love and to need


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