Frank Halliwell - Luke

It seems a year or two at most that Luke has been around,
But nine have passed since first I spied him at the Brisbane pound.
He stood in dogdom's big house, all ears and tongue and smile,
The model of a friendly dog, without a trace of guile.

'Please, that one in the second cage, with the german shepherd look! '
The attendant riffled pages, and he found him in his book.
'It says that he's half kelpie and he called Carina home,
And that his name is Luke, and that he sometimes likes to roam.'

'Here, boy! ' I called, and here he came, and without hesitation
His tail a hairy question mark; would he improve his station?
I hope I did, in our short time, improve his life as he has mine.
I've seldom known so loyal a friend, nor dreamed of how soon it would end.

He's sure done all those doggy things that dogs are famous for.
He's barked at all