Leaving Round Midnight

Gentle reader- please allow me to deviate from the daily economic and geopolitical course today to describe a grand companion and wonderful friend of the canine variety who passed from this mortal coil on my bed at midnight. Lily- the heart of our household has left us after a valiant struggle- showing her determination and preternatural vitality in a battle against liver cancer that her vets thought would claim her a month ago- not even showing any signs of illness until Wednesday night. Lily never allowed even a single cow to be rustled on her watch (though we actually have no cattle). While her fearsome visage protected us, we held off every grizzly attack (of course, any bear within a hundred miles is confined in a zoo). Lily brought humor, light, and life into our home and she is already sorely missed. Please permit this further departure from the normal discourse to continue with a heart-felt (and heartbroken poem): "Lily's Song"                                                                                        Lily's Song                                                                                                        Heaven- heaven knows that I love you                                                                                                      Heaven- heaven knows that I need you                                                                                                     Heaven knows I need you so                                                                                                                        Heaven- heaven knows that I want you                                                                                                    Heaven- heaven knows that I'll miss you                                                                                                  Heaven- heaven knows I don't want you to go