Thursday, February 25, 2016

FOOTPRINTS

This was my boy our last time at the beach.
He was surveying that farther shore, where 
my footsteps cannot yet follow.
In the photo one can see a white light 
outlining his body. His spirit 
was already contemplating its passage 
to the spirit-world.


I followed your footprints
to the edge of the known world,
the vet's office, one step short of
the open gate of the crematorium.
I could go no farther.

You did not want to go.
Your footsteps faltered, you held back,
I urging you on,
because I had no choice,
because you were dying,
though your spirit wanted so much to stay.

I accompanied you to the final moment,
when your heart and mine stopped beating.
Mine resumed its steady beat,
but less strongly,
without song.

I am still following your footprints,
and will until the day
that gate into the fire
opens for me,
when again our spirits meet
and together we're set free.


For Hannah's prompt at Real Toads:  Transforming Nature's Wonders: to write about footsteps in nature - any creature's. Of course the footsteps I thought of first were those of my wolf-pup, on that final night.

18 comments:

  1. my soul is intertwined with this. you know !

    gracias (sniffle)

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  2. This is heartbreaking beauty infused with hope, Sherry.

    I bet he is scouting all the best places... so that you two can explore them when the time comes. ♥

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  3. Sherry, this is a wonderful tribute to Pup. I truly believe that we will see our pets again, your Pup, my Adi, in God's Heaven.
    If one can trust the Bible, there in Romans Chapter 8, Verses 18 and following, all Creation is waiting. Our pets are surely a part of God's creation.

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  4. sweet, yet direct and emotional without being maudlin. a fine pen ~

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  5. Some footprints are left on the soul.

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  6. Sherry, this poem takes my breath and stops my heart for a moment with you both here:

    "I accompanied you to the final moment,
    when your heart and mine stopped beating.
    Mine resumed its steady beat,
    but less strongly,
    without song."

    Utterly heartbreaking. I have walked that path and it is so difficult.

    I do not doubt that you'll be reunited.

    Thank you, for your beautiful poem, Sherry.

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  7. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend passing. Whether 2 legs or 4 a friend who takes us just as we are is rare these days.

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  8. This is one of your best poems I have read about your wolf pup... The footprint parting... Such a strong image, so sad, yet so filled with hope.

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  9. Sherry, looking at that picture makes me so very sad...and your words make me even sadder.

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  10. Sherry, I cried, as I read your poem, thinking, how I would react, if Squeak, Star or Venus, would to pass away, under similar conditions. Which, I hope doesn't happen for a long, long time.

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  11. That image, these words "but less strongly,
    without song." Wow. I'm moved

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  12. Sad and beautiful!! I love all your Pup poems, but this one paints the bond-brighter~

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  13. A very sweet sad poem, Sherry. Your love for your dog is very palpable and makes itself easy to relate to. k.

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  14. Oh Sherry ~~ you made emotion and memories of my English Springer Chloe come bubbling to the surface .. Pup was fortunate to have known your love.

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  15. Oh, Sherry, I've had to accompany my dogs through this too many times and it is the hardest, though most compassionate thing to do. You wrote of this in such a way as to touch me deeply. The thing is, we never really get over that loss, do we?

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  16. This touches my soul. I've taken that walk three times.

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