Love is the Open Door

Captives of love,

we circle

the enclosure.

Trapped by our hearts,

we need to stay near,

yet long to fly.

I see you yearning

for the freedom

of wild places.

I hear your 

mournful howl

under the moon.

How can I bear

to ever be

without you?

Yet how can I hold you,

when you're longing

to be free?

One long look:

I know you love me.

A pang in my heart:

always,

I will love you.

You need to gallop, now,

those far wild beaches.

You are

 a wild thing

and you are

no longer tame.

I click the lock

that keeps you

from your freedom.

I take the step

that is so

hard to make.

Off you go,

bounding into

Forever. 

One last look back:

always,

we will

remember.

Life moves us

ever towards

the far horizon,

the gift of love,

finally,

 the open door.

I am reading a book Part Wild, by Cierwidwen Terrell, about her life with a wolfdog, who was always escaping his kennel, in his urgent need to run free. As I read, she and I are coming to the same conclusion: wild creatures pay too high a price to be with us. I remember Pup's joy when we lived in wilderness. I remember his grief and anger when we were in town and he had to be tied. And his gratitude when the fence was finally built and I unclicked the lock and set him free. He did a little bow to me, and danced in a light-footed circle.

In this poem, it was getting through his death I am talking about. His hind end gave out, time after time. Each time, he got back up, until the last time. He didnt want to leave, I couldnt bear for him to leave. But his suffering was too much. He tried so hard to hold on for me. I had to set him free, take him to the vet, let him go. 

I am still missing my boy, so much. But this book is helping me to know that now, his spirit is running free, as it was always meant to. In each of our journeys, love is always the open door.