Dog Poems of Love and Grief

This is a Leonberger blog, but I also post about other topics including book reviews of books that I love and want to promote. With this post I would like to promote a beautiful and touching poetry book that is about a Labrador called Copper: King Copper: Our dog’s life in poetry by Lauren Scott.

Below is an overview of the two formats of King Copper by Lauren Scott

  • Paperback –  Publisher : Baydreamer Writes (August 6, 2025), ASIN : B0FK21KS3T, ISBN-13 : 979-8349341014, 66 pages, Item Weight : 3.53 ounces, dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.14 x 9 inches, it cost $14.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – Publisher : Baydreamer Writes (August 6, 2025), ASIN : B0FJJ3VWJ6, 70 pages. It is currently $5.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The front cover features the title and author, a big photo of Copper and a pumpkin.
Front cover of King Copper: Our dog’s life in poetry by Lauren Scott. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s Description of King Copper: Our dog’s life in poetry by Lauren Scott

When I knelt down to Copper’s level, my heart melted. His amber, soul-searching eyes told me all I needed to know.

I recalled sitting at the table, perusing a Labrador rescue website. A lab sporting a copper-colored coat stood out like a citrine crystal in a bowl of black diamonds. I had to meet the handsome fellow.

So, on a late winter March day in 2012, my family drove to Oakland to meet Copper. A woman was fostering him in her small apartment. He had a gentle demeanor, and after a walk around the block and some play time, I was ready to take him home. My son and I were excited to welcome Copper into our lives. But my husband and daughter were hesitant to adopt another dog so soon. Would we be replacing Lucky Girl, our black lab mix, who passed just four months earlier?

Despite telling the woman we needed time to make a decision, only three days later, we found ourselves signing the adoption papers. Copper effortlessly jumped into the back of our car for a ride to his new home. We heard that the best way to get past the grief of losing a pet is to get a new one, and that’s what we did. Lucky Girl would always be in our hearts. But after many conversations, we felt the timing was right. I, especially, couldn’t shake the feeling that Copper was meant to be our next canine friend.

From the hugs, cuddles, and games of fetch, Copper learned to trust us. And so, he became family. For thirteen years, he gave us unconditional love. He crossed over the rainbow bridge this past March. It is serendipitous to know that he came into our lives in March and left our earthly world also in March – the month of new beginnings. He was a bright light in our lives that will shine eternally. This is the power of our dogs or any pet. They leave a positive, long-lasting imprint on our souls.

This is my Amazon five-star Amazon review of King Copper

The Life of a Dog named Copper

Copper, a rescue Chocolate Lab, was picked up from a foster home in March of 2012 by a loving family and in return they received 13 years of unconditional love from Copper, who turned out to be a quite remarkable dog. This touching and beautiful book recounts his life in the form of poetry. What better way to tell the life of a dog, than through poetry. Some of the poems are from Copper’s perspective and some of them are from the author’s perspective. Some of the poems are fun, some speak of love, and some speak of grief. I think that everyone who’s ever owned dogs will recognize themselves in this book. I certainly did.

Dogs have personalities, they can express themselves, they are innocent, they are fun, they are loving, they can sense your mood and feelings, and they want to comfort you when you are sad. They love you and they can do amazing things, and they are part of the family. All of this is beautifully expressed in this book. This is a heartwarming book that will leave no heart untouched.

There are also a lot of great color photos in the book. I thought it was fun to look at the various photos of Copper and the people he interacted with. There is also explanatory background information. The book is well written and well laid out and the author is obviously a great poet. I highly recommend this book to all dog lovers. Actually, I recommend it to everyone.

An overview of the book and a tilted photo of Copper, on a dark-brown background. The text says: “A poetic account of the joy that arises when a lovable chocolate lab walks into your life and changes it forever. And the eventual heartache you feel when he crosses the rainbow bridge thirteen years later and still too soon.”
Back cover of King Copper: Our dog’s life in poetry by Lauren Scott. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the Kindle version of the book.

About the Author of King Copper

Lauren Scott is a poet and writer of fiction, memoir, and children’s books. She has authored three collections of poetry: New Day, New Dreams (2013), Finding a Balance (2015), and Ever So Gently (2023). In 2021, she released her memoir, More than Coffee, and in 2024, Cora’s Quest, her first children’s book was published. Lauren’s poetry and stories have been published on Spillwords Press, a literary Ezine where she was voted Author of the Month in May 2023.

She is a contributing author in the anthologies, Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships (2022), This is How We Grow (2023), Petals of Haiku (2024), and Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku (2025). Her poems are shared monthly on the online literary site, Gobblers and Masticadores. Writing inspiration comes from her love of family, spending time in the great outdoors, and finding joy in the simple things.

Click here to visit the author’s website