Poetry, memoir,blogs and photographs from my world on the west coast of Canada.
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Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Black Dog of Joy
Kerry said she hoped that soon the black dog of joy would be with me.
That as he was in life, so he is in death. This is very true.
It made me remember......
his joy every night when I got home from work, when he was little
his joy when we went, morning and night, to the beach
his joy in the waves, leaping in and out with a loopy grin
his joy, every time he sat beside me in the car and we headed somewhere
his joy when I picked him up at the kennel, and he knew he had not been abandoned
his joy, when I'd throw his ball down the hall
his joy, when I'd toss him a treat (photo above)
his noisy joy, whenever I pulled into the driveway
him "pacing" excitedly from front seat to back seat and back again,
tail whapping my face every time, when I'd point the nose of the car
towards the beach
his joy when I'd call him to come for a walk
his joy when we went to Stamp Falls
his joy when we went for a swim at the lake
his goofy sense of humor
and the light in his eyes, just for me
The black dog of joy was very alive until the moment he was not.
He had such a big spirit, such a wild and wolfish heart and yes, he was a dog of joy.
He is so missed.
From the label, I am assuming the urn finally arrived. Good, I know you had been looking for it every day.
ReplyDeleteThe picture is priceless. Who expresses pure simple joy better than a well-loved dog?
What a lovely tribute.
ReplyDeletePearl
Lovely photo, wonderful tribute!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, as you fill that hole he left, each word chosen for him, and for him alone. He is now a beautiful and treasured memory. The best. Something tells me, you have no other more precious.
ReplyDeleteA fine dog, was he.
He was a joy to you indeed, your boy, and always will be! No-one could have loved you better, and no-one would wish harder for you to continue filling your days with that zest for life the two of you shared every day. Your wonderful photo shows that timeless bond perfectly!
ReplyDeleteMost of us didn't get to meet Pup, unfortunately, but we've come to know him well and we too miss his presence in the world.
Thank goodness our hearts are big enough to hold every single memory of love shared...nothing can take that away from us...:)
I can relate to this too. A neighbour’s cat visited me some weeks ago. When I woke up to read, he would dutifully wake up too and follow me to the study table, snuggle around my waist and upon some “sense of betrayal” he would kick out his sleep and watch what I would be doing. He would watch, perhaps wondering, “ Buddy, I think I am missing out on something. You are going to teach me some of these tricks, aren’t you friend?”
ReplyDeleteNicely written, this one. I can see the joy of the Black Dog of Joy. It is like I have known him all my life!
Yes, Sherry, this is the dog I meant. The photo says it all, and the words are surely a reminder that a doggy-person is all about joy, if he is loved and well looked after during his lifetime, and remembered until the end of his owner's days.
ReplyDelete