She sits right there
Like a statue,
Still and quiet.

Everything about her
Shows age.
The droopy ears,
The stubby tail,
Her dull brown nose,
The worn out ribbon,
And her faded yellow fur
That is tainted with red.
These features show the price
She paid
To give me pleasure
Over the years.

Despite this,
She is still new to me.
Her luminous, brown eyes
Fixed upon her round face
Still stare silently at me,
Still read what I’m thinking.
What I’m feeling.
When I pick her up,
And feel her baby soft fur
Smell her fresh, laundry scent
All my troubles melt away
Like a burning candle.

I see her as more than a toy,
More than a friend.
I see her as part of myself,
Someone I would not toss aside
For a new toy.
Because
She is still as precious as
The day I received her.