Poems

[Bobie4me]

Upsy Daisy where did you find this!
When Tomorrow Starts Without Me..
I read it 3 times and it kind of soothes the pain and remends me the truth...Bo is still always there.
Thank you so much for sharing that. It was a true comfort.

[Bobie4me]

I just finished reading everything in here. You all share in the same pain. I don't feel like a fool to have loved this way.
Everything I have read was inspiring and has greatly helped most of the pain.
When I brought Bo home yesterday and held his urn I felt like it was day 1 all over again....
Because of you all here you reminded me he left me with incredible memories and a love I have not felt in a long time.
You helped me see I may have had to let him go physically but he is never gone from my heart and his memories will always live on.
Thank you so very much

[NCSFK9]

I just cried my eyes out from reading these poems, but it felt good. Thank you for all who shared their poem. I miss my girl who went to the Rainbow Bridge on September 19th, 2006. This thread reminded me of all the good times we had together and that I did a good thing for her in letting her go. I have a poem that I put next to her picture in a double picture frame. It sits on top of her urn:

Heavenly Father, Creator of all things.
Thank you for blessing me with this loyal dog.
Thank you for letting her teach me unselfish love.
Thank you for all the memories that I can recall
to brighten my days for the rest of my life.
Finally, in gratitude, I return my dog to you.
Amen.

I hope this helps someone like the other poems in this post have helped me. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/31_paw.gif[/img]

[EastGSD]

Both of these are in memory of our Harry (Mercer's Keeper of the Keys)he was lost to sudden cardiac death at 18mths of age.

The first is written by my daughter Beth, she was 13 at the time (BIG tissue alert). The second one is from me.


Harry...

You left me too soon. Although I spent countless hours with you, it seems to be not enough, now that you are gone. Even though I brushed you, fed you, and exercised with you I feel I did not care enough for you.You were always there for me though I was not for you.
I miss you playing with your ball, I miss you eating my frisbee, I miss you shaking water on me after it rains, your beautiful eyes, your brilliant head, and the happy expression you gave everyone. I miss your trips to the park... chasing me. I loved showing you, even if you were a butt-head. You loved everything and everybody, and I don't know anybody who didn't love you. I will remember and will always remember the little things you did to make me smile. You were always so silly, so beautiful, I love you. I hope I can grasp the fact that I will never see you again, until of course I meet you at the bridge.
We planted you a bush... I think you'd like it. Its gonna get really big too. It grows pink flowers and attracts butterflies. Its been hard without you these last couple days. I really can't believe your gone. It's as if you never were...
You must be having loads of fun with all our other pals, Maxie, Kera, Kristy tell them all I love them and I'm sorry I wont see them for awhile. I miss you terribly my Harry Potter. I would like to ask how your doing, but there is no way you can tell me, I assume that they are taking good care of you.

"Where there is no love there is no pain."


There is a lot of pain, but writing this letter is helping. I wanted to tell you how much I love you but there are no words to explain that to you. I hope you stay as beautiful as we all saw you were.

I love you Harry my protector, my brother, my friend.
Meet you at the bridge and I'll bring the ball...

Beth



Harry ...

Mercer's Keeper of the Keys

I knew when I first saw you it was meant to be
I watched you find your feet

I didnt know you yet, you were a group of pups
I watched in wonder hoping, one of you were mine.

You werent the one I chose, seems fate sent you to me
I didnt like your face, now its all my eyes can see.

Oh how I want to see your smile, your giddy, joyous grin
How I want to feel the warmth of fur against my hands.
I want to hear your bark, its message of life.

You left without goodbye, you left me with all this pain
how can I rise each morning without you in my mind?
our dreams for you built upon for years, never to be realized

but yet..... you were the glory of it all Harry,
you *were* the best I could ever hope for
Your happiness was infectious
it touched the world
it had our hearts ....

We never realize how fragile life is till it reminds us
life spoke loud and clear on Monday, we heard it
we felt it, it took back what it gave

Even though we are left in a fog and full of sorrow
our lives are still all the better

we have kissed the face of God...

~~~Forever missing you. Cherri, Linda, Beth, Sammie, Kevin, Thom, Lori, Pat and Shannon

[coopertip]

Tribute to a Dog

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wing and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavans.

-- Senator George Vest, 1870
taken from Dean Koontz's "Watchers)

[raysmom]

http://www.angelbluemist.com/christmas.html

CHRISTMAS AT THE RAINBOW BRIDGE

As the midnight hour approaches on Christmas Eve, a tremendous celebration begins. If you listen closely you will hear the exuberant sound of Bridgekids preparing for the remarkable moment that comes but once a year. Puppies romp through the tall green grass, chasing butterflies and rolling over and over until fits of giggles bring them to a tumbling stop. The volume increases as kittens, cats, tigers and lions purr in pure delight while the wings of snow white doves gently caress the air. The babbling brook that runs beneath Rainbow Bridge overflows onto the edge of mossy banks and fins of treasured aquatic life quiver in anticipation of this most joyous event. Nestled in the midst of this happy choir of Bridgekids are the littlest angel tots staring in awe at the majestic Christmas tree adorned with flowing strands of angel hair. Effervescent, twinkling stars seesaw elegantly from the sky and land in glorious harmony upon the stoic limbs of Heaven's most perfect Christmas tree. Swaying to and fro in nearby rocking chairs are grandmothers, grandfathers, parents, aunts, uncles and loved ones. The sound of their whispered lullabies permeate the air as they sing to tiny angel babies resting quietly in their arms.

Like magic the clock approaches midnight and a great stirring is heard in the distance. Each Bridgekid stops and listens, knowing the time is near, and they choose a fleecy cloud on which to snuggle. The roar of purrs drops to barely an audible hum, the babbling brook ripples hypnotically and the flutter of downy feathered wings fall silent. Heaven's spirited toddlers climb expectantly upon the laps of angels while babies coo in tranquil unison.

Amidst the warm glow of candle light which rises from the earth below, the arms of the Bridge Keeper envelop the heavens and into the precious hands of each child and in front of each animal a holy gift is placed. With grand exuberance the ribbons are removed and left to fly on a tender breeze where they dissolve into showers of angel dust. As the golden lids of these heavenly gifts are raised, an amazing aura fills the sky, reaching down to the very core of the earth. Ascending from each and every box is the greatest gift of all unending, unconditional, all-encompassing love. This blessed love gently wraps itself around the cherished souls of heaven, warming their hearts with beacons of radiant light and bringing forth from angels an exquisite chorus.

As the clock strikes midnight the distance between heaven and earth is vanished. It is at this very moment on Christmas Eve that the Bridge Keeper, His children, angels and Bridgekids send a message to their earthly loved ones on the wings of this unbridled love.

Listening carefully with an open heart we will hear the familiar voice of our own angel whisper softly into our ear their Christmas message; "Let me share with you this love of mine, always and forever. When you need me know that I am here. I have not left you for I am in your heart where I belong. Our love is eternal as is the brilliant glow of candlelight, which illuminates the path to the heavens and Rainbow Bridge. I wait patiently as do you for our inevitable and glorious reunion. I love you, I love you, I love you."

Author unknown

This one will always be my favorite and for more reason than one. It's by Siegfried Sassoon (1886 - 1967) a poet so dear to my heart that I named my fourth Shepherd after him. Being a former warrior myself and a witness as well to the horrors of war I can well measure what it must have been for Sassoon to have experienced the **** of the trenches of WWI. He is considered by many, myself included, to be the finest war poet of all time. All the more precious that he could experience such suffering and still go on in 1921 to write this poem. No words ever captured better the solace our dogs bring to us. The poem is entitled:

MAN AND DOG

"Who's this –– alone with sand and sky?
It's only my old dog and I ––
It's only him; it's only me;
Alone with stone and grass and tree.

What share we most –– we two together?
Smells, and awareness of the weather.
What is it makes us more than dust?
My trust in him; in me his trust.

Here's anyhow one decent thing
That life to man and dog can bring;
One decent thing, remultiplied
Till Earth's last dog and man have died."

- Siegfried Sassoon


If you wish to have this poem ready for a quick callup on your web browser I have entered it in the poems section at IN-MEMORY-OF-PETS.com. Here is the link:

http://www.in-memory-of-pets.com/per...r.php?ID=63749

[CherryCola]

Some of you may know that I have a book of my poetry published and on sale currently, so I thought I'd just post one that I wrote shortly after Logan passed away.

Our Time Was Short

So many words and thoughts to share,
And the tired emptiness because you're not there.

I've never missed anything so much,
Or held so tight with need,
I'd do anything for one last touch,
I'm sick and sore with greed.

I knew it always had to be,
I swear that time stood still,
When you were snatched away from me,
And left me numb and ill.

I wanted to say so many things,
But I could only say three words,
Then you opened up your wings,
And flew as free as the birds.

I must have repeated it a thousand times or more,
I love you, I love you, I love you,
I've never been so sure,
My world, my escape, my rescue.

[DebbieDavidson]

Thank you! This is very touching.

Bless you

[Bunny]

A Place For Us written by Terri Onorato

I know what you're thinking.
You think I'm dead. Because you cannot see
me with your human eye, cannot feel me,
with your hands or hold me in your arms.
You think I am gone forever.
You recall how I looked when I left this place
and you cannot remotely imagine that I could
possibly be alive in another place.
You are racked and torn by the pain of our
separation and it blinds you to that
which is right in front of you ... me.
How many times since I left your immediate
sight have you been told that I'm dead
and you should "get over it"...
How many times have you cried yourself to sleep
because you feel like an outcast,
believing you're supposed to get over me because
that's what people say is normal...
but somehow you can't and no one seems to understand?
How many times have you put yourself through
such excruciating pain because you aren't
willing to consider that I am not, by any means, dead.
I want you to do me a favor and go back in time with me.
Remember the glorious day I came into your home-
was I not the most intriguing creature you'd ever met?
Did I not make you laugh and giggle?
Did I not look at you with such adoration that you
wanted nothing more than to spend the rest
of your life with me? I wanted this too.
Remember the days when I was in my prime and
we did many things together. You were so proud of me!
I was a good friend and I took care of you
when you cried, were angry or felt down and unhappy.
When you didn't have a lot of time for me
because of your obligations, I waited patiently for you.
I was always there when you needed me.
Did I not look at you with such acceptance and patience
that at times you felt perhaps a bit unworthy?
You were never unworthy in my eyes.
Remember when age crept up on me, my bones became
stiff and my movements slower.
Still I met you at the door when you came home
and followed you around the house.
We'd been together for so long,
I was your very best friend regardless of what you
were doing, saying, thinking. Did I not look at you
with such kindness and understanding that you felt
overwhelmed? I couldn't get enough of you.
Remember the last time we saw each other with
earthly eyes? You tried to be brave but I knew
you were crying ...
I know you so well. Better than anyone else
in the whole world.
Did I not look at you with such pure trust and love
that you yearned only to hold me close
and keep me with you always?
Did you not promise that you would love me forever?
I believed you. If this is so then why have you let me go
by thinking I no longer exist?
Remember the depth in my eyes all those times
I looked at you with adoration, acceptance,
patience, trust and love.
Who created this depth and love?
Would the Creator diminish the song of our laughter
which was created in the name of love?
I am no longer an earthly figure, this is true.
My body was only part of who I really am.
My body would have been but a mere shell on earth
if it were not filled to overflowing with my soul,
my spirit, my loving light.
When we met you thought I was cute, sweet, pretty
and adorable. But what kind of relationship would
we have had if this is all that I'd been?
How could you have loved me if I'd had no spiritual
substance? We are all made up of energy which
resides far deep down inside of us, it is our core,
our soul, spirit and loving light.
It is the energy that is all of life ...
it has no beginning,
it has no end. It simply is and always will be
and without it there is no life.
You can't see it with the naked eye
nor can you hold it in your hand,
it is simply a certain knowing that this energy does exist.
It's a knowing just as you know
that our love existed on earth -
you couldn't see our love in a solid sense,
you couldn't gather it all up and confine it to one place.
But you *knew* it existed.
There was no doubt in your mind.
They demand you get over me, insisting that I'm dead
and you'll never see me again
because animals don't go to Heaven.
Oh really? I'm here to tell you different.
You were worthy of my love and undying devotion
on earth as I was of yours.
Do you really believe this love would be
snatched from us *forever* by a loving Creator
simply because I wasn't human? Was I not a living,
breathing creation with personality?
How could I have been so if I didn't possess
the energy of soul, spirit and loving light?
And if this energy is and always will be,
then how can it be that I am dead?
If my core is not of the energy that is all of life
then I was never alive to begin with.
But you know better. You cry because you miss me,
this I understand. I miss you too -
I miss the belly rubs, hugs and kisses that we shared.
But life does go on beyond these wonderful,
fulfilling physical connections.
I came to this place to live a whole new life,
not because I didn't love you anymore
or because I wanted something better.
I came here because it was time for me to go
to the next phase of my existance,
something all living creatures must do eventually.
It is the normal progression of life.
I was not taken away from you because you cannot
take away that which was never owned.
My presence in your life was and is a gift
to be cherished and honored
just as I cherish and honor you.
Life is not simply about being born into a body,
living a certain number of years and then dying.
Energy cannot die. We are blessed with time in a body
so that we can learn, share and grow.
It prepares us for the next phase of our eternal life.
The body holds within it the true life force
of our existance...our soul, spirit and loving light.
Without these our bodies would be empty, blank,
void of feeling and expression.
Without our energy we would indeed be dead
and could never have experienced our love for each other.
You say that all you have left are memories.
Not so. You see, when I took leave of my earthly body
I left a little something behind for you.
You can't touch it, hold it or examine it.
For what I left behind
is far too uninhibited for confinement.
I left behind a piece of my soul.
I placed it right next to your own which is quite fitting
as we were always side by side in our earthly life together.
I love you too much to have left you with nothing but
memories which tend to fade and
grow cloudy as the years go by.
I love you too much to have vanished without a trace.
How selfish it would be of me to remove love
and light from your life.
I understand your tears, each one you shed is testament
to your love for me and I am honored and humbled.
But don't forget the good things we shared -
remember and smile. This is an honor for me as well.
And when you need me I will be here.
Close your eyes, relax, take slow, deep breaths
and picture me in your mind. Shut off the world and
your notions of what death is and give me a chance.
Look for the subtle signs I send you.
Don't stop being proud of me, I am a friend to be proud of,
I am still your friend and soul mate.
Don't memorialize the death of my body
but instead honor and celebrate my never-ending life
for it is eternal and forever as is my love for you.
Until we meet again...