By Maha Mohamedali
The oldest companion of man,
Born within the first memory of the first man,
Saw him through his twaddling to his swaggering,
Met his parent, his spouse and his child, Watched him leaning and then staggering,
Facing the final messenger of death and its guile.
The wisest companion of man,
Born to witness his fall from the skies,
Saw him through the falling and the rising, Met his friends, enemies and his alliances,
Watched the choices and the uprising,
Facing the bullies and the deniers of man.
The kindest companion of man,
Born on the first light of beginning days, Saw him through the longest nights of grief,
Met his worries, hopes and his frays,
Watched him as seasons care for the leaf, Facing the heat and the blizzards that greet man.
The truest companion of man,
Born with the first breath out of the womb, Saw him in his vilest attire and his best,
Met his grace, villainy and his loneliest aplomb,
Watched him through the quietness of his chest,
Facing as one, to testify before the God of man.