Poems

[amurphy]

I'm trying to find the one about the three stages in a dogs life - the bouncing puppy, the "grown up", then the senior.


Andy

[raysmom]

A Living Love

If you ever love an animal, there are three days in your life you will always remember . . .

The first is a day, blessed with happiness, when you bring home your young new friend. You may have spent weeks deciding on a breed. You may have asked numerous opinions of many vets, or done long research in finding a breeder. Or, perhaps in a fleeting moment, you may have just chosen that silly looking mutt in a shelter -- simply because something in its eyes reached your heart. But when you bring that chosen pet home, and watch it explore, and claim its special place in your hall or front room -- and when you feel it brush against you for the first time -- it instills a feeling of pure love you will carry with you through the many years to come.

The second day will occur eight or nine or ten years later. It will be a day like any other. Routine and unexceptional. But, for a surprising instant, you will look at your longtime friend and see age where you once saw youth. You will see slow deliberate steps where you once saw energy. And you will see sleep when you once saw activity. So you will begin to adjust your friend's diet -- and you may add a pill or two to her food. And you may feel a growing fear deep within yourself, which bodes of a coming emptiness. And you will feel this uneasy feeling, on and off, until the third day finally arrives.

And on this day -- if your friend and whatever higher being you believe in have not decided for you, then you will be faced with making a decision of your own -- on behalf of your lifelong friend, and with the guidance of your own deepest Spirit. But whichever way your friend eventually leaves you -- you will feel as alone as a single star in the dark night.

If you are wise, you will let the tears flow as freely and as often as they must. And if you are typical, you will find that not many in your circle of family or friends will be able to understand your grief, or comfort you.

But if you are true to the love of the pet you cherished through the many joy-filled years, you may find that a soul -- a bit smaller in size than your own -- seems to walk with you, at times, during the lonely days to come.

And at moments when you least expect anything out of the ordinary to happen, you may feel something brush against your leg -- very, very lightly.

And looking down at the place where your dear, perhaps dearest, friend used to lie -- you will remember those three significant days. The memory will most likely to be painful, and leave an ache in your heart. As time passes the ache will come and go as if it has a life of its own. You will both reject it and it, and it may confuse you. If you reject it, it will depress you. If you embrace it, it will deepen you. Either way, it will still be an ache.

But there will be, I assure you, a fourth day when -- along with the memory of your pet -- and piercing through the heaviness in your heart -- there will come a realization that belongs only to you. It will be as unique and strong as our relationship with each animal we have loved, and lost. This realization takes the form of a Living Love -- like the heavenly scent of a rose that remains after the petals have wilted, this Love will remain and grow -- and be there for us to remember. It is a love we have earned. It is the legacy our pets leave us when they go. And it is a gift we may keep with us as long as we live. It is a Love which is ours alone. And until we ourselves leave, perhaps to join our Beloved Pets -- it is a Love we will always possess.

Presented with grateful acknowledgement to the author, Martin Scot Kosins.

[amahana1]

Ammo

Hard charging, loud barking,
shoes missing, always kissing,
My Friend

Fur shedding, dirt spreading,
water spilling, always willing,
My Companion

Loud snoring, early morning,
play starving, ever loving,
My German Shepherd

[JC415]

A faithful DOG will play with you, and Laugh with you, or cry
HE'LL gladly starve to stay with you, nor ever reason why.
And when you're feeling out of sorts, somehow HE'LL understand
HE'LL watch you with HIS shining eyes, and try to lick your hand,
HIS blind implicit faith in you, is matched by HIS great love,
The kind that all of us should have in THE MASTER up above.
When everything is said and done, I guess it isn't odd,
For when you spell DOG backwards, you get the name of GOD.

Author unknown

[hanslieb]

This is a poem of all of the dog's, I have ever had...Jack and Jill ran up the hill, and Mac was there to meet them..then came Bear who saw them there,and was so glad to meet them!..so they met Jake, your heart he'd break..he'd love to run and greet you..along came Skip, who broke his hip...he died,..when he turned two!...so Jake met Taz; what a spaz, and this I say is true...they ran away, so far away...never to be found..Petunia came, and stole their fame, so great to have around...till she met Rocky, oh so stocky..they got along,but not for long...Rocky died, and oh I cried,and then she died..., and all were gone!...along came King and brother Buddy..what a pair and so darn nutty!...Bud went away, to my dismay..I miss him so, this very day...Then here comes Rusty...Trusty Rusty...a little one, but very gustsy!...he played with King..who took him in..gave his heart away..they lived and loved, and played in the shade...till Rusty met his early grave...now King and I, we stand alone,..until a new pup steals the throne...all is good with King and I...another pup..before we die....

[hanslieb]

small world...I used to live in Put Valley! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/01_smile.gif[/img]

[hanslieb]

to...amurphy!

[grizzlyjdw]

this was done by jimmy stewart on the tonight show with johnny carson.

He came to me when I would call,
unless I had a tennis ball
-or he felt like it.
But mostly--he didn't come at all.
When he was young,
he never learned,
to heel, or sit or stay,
he did things his way.
Discipline was not his bag,
but when you were with him,
things sure didn't drag.
He'd dig up a rose bush just to spite me,
and when I'd grab 'im he'd turn and bite me.
He bit lots of folks from day to day,
the deliv'ry boy was his favorite prey.
The gas man wouldn't read our meter,
he said we owned a real man-eater.
He sat the house on fire,
but the story's long to tell.
Suffice to say that he survived,
and, the house survived as well.
And on evening walks
(and Gloria took him),
he was always first out the door.
The old one and I,
brought up the rear
because our bones were sore.
And he'd charge up the street
with Mom hangin' on,
what a beautiful pair they were.
And if it was still light,
and the tourists were out,
they created a bit of a stir!
But every once in awhile
he'd stop in his tracks
and with a frown on his face, look around.
It was just t'make sure,
that the old one was there,
to follow him where he was bound.
We're early-to-bedders in our house
I guess I'm the first to retire,
and as I'd leave the room, he'd look at me
and get up from his place by the fire.
He knew where the tennis balls were, upstairs
and I'd give 'im one for awhile
and he'd push it under the bed with his nose
and I'd dig it out with a smile.
But before very long, he'd tire of the ball
and he'd be asleep in his corner in no time at all,
and there where nights when I'd feel him climb up on our bed
and lie between us, and I'd pat his head;
and there were nights when I'd feel this stare,
and I'd wake up and he'd be sitting there
and I'd reach out to stroke his hair;
and sometimes I'd feel him sigh,
and I think I know the reason why.
He'd wake up at night,
and he would have this fear
of the dark, of life, of lot's of things,
and he'd be glad to have me near.
And now he's dead.
And there are nights when I think I feel him
climb up on our bed,
and lie between us, and I pat his head;
and there are nights when I think I feel that stare,
and I reach out my hand to stroke his hair,
and he's not there.
Oh, how I wish that wasn't so,
I'll always love a dog named Bo.

[Sue Smart]

She's Gone

You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she’s gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she’d want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

-David Harkins

[APhoenixRisen]

Wings - PhoenixRising

God speed dear friend, Valhalla waits
Oh the wonders you will see
While marking time until the day
Valkyrie comes for me.

On gentle, silken wings she flies
Gathering frightened, searching souls
And soothes them with sweet lullabyes
As Valhalla's joys unfold

Just yesterday but long ago...
Seems time so quickly flies
One day it's bouncy wet hellos
Then bittersweet goodbyes.

Come one last time, I'll walk with you
Just 'til you see the gates
With love filled heart I'll guide you to
Where the kind Valkyrie waits.

And for all the joy you've given me
For the glory days gone by
My best and final gift my love,
I grant you wings to fly.