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Ode to the Dogs
Puppy to playmate they bring us much joy
whether sleeping or hunting for favorite toys.
Mischief abounds while they teethe and make noise
as we patiently groom their behavioral ploys.
Rapid maturity seven-to-one
amidst training and gaining of loyalty won
with sincere admiration and mutual fun.
The bond has been sealed and cannot be undone.
Life and routine become one and the same
as priorities change to stay part of the game
and especially if one or the other is lame,
the power of healing ignites a new flame.
Suddenly one day, we never know why,
Rainbow Bridge opens the heavenly sky
welcoming loved ones to meadows up high
and we must shed a tear and then kiss them good-bye.
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Shari Jo LeKane is author of Poem to Follow, Fall Tenderly, and Surviving Gracefully. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
I must admit, I’m not much of a dog person, but your poem jauntily conveys the mutual love between canine and human, from meeting to parting.
Thanks for the read,
Thank you, Paul Freedman. Life with any pet is a phenomenal experience.
A tender and touching poem, Shari Jo, though like Paul I am not a dog person; indeed, by coincidence, have been attacked by dogs twice in the last fortnight whilst walking in my local park!!! So, my decision to love cats has been reinforced! Still, I get it: when you love a pet, you love a pet! Nice one.
Thank you, James Sale. Sorry to hear of your experience. Glad to know you have bonded with cats.
Wonderful! It was sad to read the ending, but maybe we would not love dogs so much if their life wasn’t so short.
Yes, every day is a gift.