Saturday, January 22, 2011

Wolfsong

[image from whitewolfphotos.blogspot.com]

He came to the mouth
of her cave
in the dead of winter,
peering tentatively in
at the warmth
of her 
crackling fire.
She sat still
as a stone
to invite him,
lifted a  bird-wing
towards him,       
higher,
shared her meal
with him,
their new
friendship a-borning;
slept and wakened,
finding him 
still there
in the 
morning.

Together
they wandered 
springtime
forest trails,
sought summer fields
of richly golden grain,
roamed
wild beaches
lashed with storm,
sheltered from 
the lashing rain,
hunted under
sunny skies,
loped across
the grassy range,
shared fish,
and rabbits,
birds and berries,
laughing
and joyous,
as the seasons
slowly 
changed.

They sat by
the fire
on lonely midnights,
howling at the moon.
But  warm summer
nights pass
quickly;
and the winter
comes
too soon.

His snout, her hair
turned white
with winter's chill.
His body grew
aged and weak,
as old bodies will.

They came to a fork
in the path
in the
rising dawn.
He stopped,
and turned
for one last look,
then  was gone.
His was the wolf path,
where a human
may not follow.
She took the path
to the right,
her heart
aching, 
and hollow.

She cried
with the fading
of the night's
last star,
whispered
"thank you"
to his fleeting back:
grateful
he had guided her
this far.

Sometimes,
now,
she can feel
his spirit
on the
rising wind.
Some nights
you can hear
her keening
on the air.
Then soft comes
a faint echo
from deep
in the mountains,
ringing.
When the moon is right
and the spirits awake,
you can
sometimes
hear them,
singing.

22 comments:

  1. Oh Sherry, My heart goes out to you! Your spirit guide, your Pup....so touching!
    Your words, "Then soft comes
    a faint echo
    from deep
    in the mountains,
    ringing.
    When the moon is right
    and the spirits awake,
    you can
    sometimes
    hear them,
    singing.
    is so hauntingly beautiful; You touched my soul, with these words~ XXX

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  2. This is so lovely, I love the singing :)

    xx

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  3. Yes, it is soul touching. I think very beautiful! So lovely....Sherry perhaps this will be a part of a book. Just as CS Lewis wrote in A Grief Observed.

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  4. I'm so glad you liked it. I have to listen for that singing!

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  5. Dear Sherry,
    I feel as though I've just read a great love story. So beautiful and moving.

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  6. Reread your poem Sherry. No need to listen, you have already heard him, these are the words of the song you two will always be singing,

    Elizabeth

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  7. My dog died two years ago. Still hurts. Cherish those good wolfy times!

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  8. Sherry, I'm so sad that you are hurting so badly... some creatures are just irreplaceable in our lives, and the empty space is unbearable.

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  9. I like these part
    Some nights
    you can hear
    her keening
    on the air.
    Then soft comes
    a faint echo
    from deep
    in the mountains,
    ringing.

    Sherry its sad to hear…

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  10. Sherry - I love the idea of the singing, too. I hope that can bring you some comfort for your loss.

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  11. Oh what a lovely rendering. Just beautiful.
    I can hear the song.

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  12. Sherry, I believe Pup is somewhere listening to your words. Beautiful.
    Pamela

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  13. Just beautiful- all of it..what a tribute to this animal..how they make our lives complete...and I truly believe that they come back for us and welcome over to their world...where again we can can walk with them through eternity....blessings...bkm

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  14. This poem is beautiful. The way you've described a friendship between a wolf and a human.

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  15. lovely song...the flow is so smooth and I like it

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  16. Oh Sherry my heart goes out to you my dear friend. A tale that sings the beauty and sadness of a life's path.

    I just realized another connection we have together. You have probably figured out already. xx Wolves

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