Ten years and more later,
walking without you,
there is a familiar loneliness, that
has always been mine, ten years of being alone
at the edge of aloneness, a peaceful stillness,
a solitude that understands there will never
again be you and me, the complete companionship
of two wild hearts.
At the river's edge, the dappled sunlight
plays across the water; the great trees
lean down. We walked here, so often,
together, your brown eyes gleaming,
nose to the ground, smelling all
the wild smells, tail and ears up,
alert for scurryings in the bush.
Ten years ago, I dreamed of you.
Your absence was a presence in my life.
You looked uncared for and sad.
You were missing me,
as I was missing you.
I am always missing you.
I carry you within, a big black wolf,
in my wild wolf-woman heart.
On nights when the moon is full,
we both give a long, low, silent howl.
Inspired by David Whyte's Ten Years Later. The italicized lines are his.
for my prompt at What's Going On : Ten Years Later. It has been more than ten years now. But when I look back, that big, black wolf is always who I see, running along the forest trails with me.
" there will never
ReplyDeleteagain be you and me, the complete companionship
of two wild hearts."
Ah, you have once more written about the beautiful companionship you had! Hard to believe it has been more than ten years already since Pup as left you! Heartfelt, Sherry.
I heard that. Can you believe that after 40 years a part of me still feels disappointed to open the shed door and not hear a greeting from my pet hen Loretta?
ReplyDeleteThe loss and yearning, feeling the presence in absence deeply shakes yet there's a sense of peace all over the poem and also a kind of contentment of having known the furry soul and carrying him within.
ReplyDelete"On nights when the moon is full,
ReplyDeletewe both give a long, low, silent howl."
Ah, he is in you, and you in him. There's a supernatural companionship here. I know you would like his presence, too, but in this poem, I feel he is with you.
Oh Sherry, you have hit a very tender of my heart. My Beagle dog, Adi and I were a registered Pet Therapy Pair who visited regularly in our local Assisted Living Home. Adi died in 2012.
ReplyDeleteShe will Google on my blogs, https://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/
And https://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/
She loved and was loved by the residents of the Alzheiimer's wing at the home.
DeleteI remember Adi, Jim, and was sad when she passed. It is so hard to lose them.
DeleteThis poem touched me too, Sherry, as our little chihuaha had to be put down because of recurrent health problems due to a genetic disease (little Pepito was the runt of the litter!). We had a beautiful five years together, and his loss still hurts, many years after...
ReplyDelete