poems for the loss of our babies, Forest Ostrander [good beach reads .TXT] 📗

raindrop that April will bring.
I'm the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine,
and you'll see that the face in the moon is mine.

When you start thinking there's no one to love you,
you can talk to me through the Lord above you.
I'll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees,
and you'll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze.

I'm the hot salty tears that flow when you weep
and the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep.
I'm the smile you see on a baby's face.
Just look for me, friend, I'm everyplace!

Author Unknown

Jackson's Eyes

For Tom, Sheryl and Matthew
In Memory of Jackson, Golden Retriever

Our life was one of privilege
'til Jackson crossed The Rainbow Bridge
But the day will come when you and I
Find peace again in Jackson's eyes.

Until that time let's drift on back
'pon breezes sweet of fresh-cut grass.
Let's waft as bubbles through summer haze
And live again those Golden Days . . .

. . . A Golden Boy with face aglow
Runs and laughs with Bubble-Blo.
Streaking past this sun-kissed boy
Bounds Golden Dog unleashed in joy!

Flying, leaping through the air,
This wily dog with freaky hair
Tries snapping up those spheres of soap
He pants for more, 'I hope! I hope!'

Sharing in this Kodak scene
Are Dad and Mom (the fitness queen)
As Jackson leaps too close and high
Dad shouts, 'Hey watch out for the little guy!'

(How could these two have realized
When taken in by chestnut eyes
That caring for this furry one
Would help prepare them for a son!)

Now their son's a strapping pup
With years -- and tears -- of growing up
For clouds obscure the clear blue sky
They drift across Jack's lovely eyes.

Although he's ill Jack does not fret
He laps up all the love he gets.
There is little they will not spare
In loyal love, heroic care.

But comes one sacred August night
When Golden Dog meets Golden Light
Blessed with tears from Master's eyes
Jackson sleeps when Midnight's nigh.

With plume a-wagging, Jackson lopes.
We're left behind. We're sad, we mope.
'Cross Rainbow Bridge and to Dog Heaven
He's at Home in six minutes -- seven.

Furry angels with no reserve
Throw Jack the party he deserves.
Back on Earth we pray he's fine
To ease our worries, God sends this sign:

Forever now when daylight's stolen
And clouds assume a soft red-golden
When copper colors warm the skies
We'll feel the love from Jackson's eyes.

Like rich brown caramel, soft and sweet
Those liquid eyes were full and deep.
Depending on the eyebrows' shift
He looked quite funny and sometimes miffed!

He taught us much, that furry beast
Compassion, Humor and Love on a leash.
Throughout his life, he opened our souls
To Joy, to Sorrow -- both make us whole.

While we must grieve, let's not forget
Over the Rainbow we'll join our pet!
Yet, we feel we're not apart --
For Jack left paw prints on our hearts.

I'll never, ever forget you, Jack. Love, Ellen

LEGACY

To my beloved dog Patriot
11-23-85 - 5-29-95
in celebration of her birthday.

I

World spinning out of grasp,
out of reach, out of sight; you are gone.
My heart, my head, my hands empty
as your spot in my lap.
Sightless eyes searched for you.
Soundless voice whispered your name.
Deaf ears listened for your breath.
In a wild place the pain roared,
burned white, and then waned to an ember.
Shadows of the night closed in.

II

Now a half-luminous ray breaks through.
Memories quicken, dreams take color,
and I know that love never dies.
Liberated from your temporal shell:
you are not gone.
I see your eyes glittering like faith
in every refraction of sunlight.
I hear your bark echoing like promise
in the baying of the wind.
I sense your presence rippling like energy
in all the sweep of hopeful sky.
I feel your love constant and warming like dawn
in its old comfortable place in my soul.
And I know -- as I always knew --
That I gained much more than I lost.

Anne L. Taylor

Losing Jake
There's a hole in my heart where a dog used to be.
He's nuzzled my soul and is now part of me.
His pain is his life and I know what to do.
But when I release him, I'm losing me, too.

The puppy I cradled three short years ago
is a ninety pound bundle of love and I know
that he'd lick away all of my tears if he could.
It's his sense of duty to make me feel good.

It's my obligation to do what is best.
The love of his "master" is put to the test.
It's a wrenching and sorrowful way that we part;
it doesn't hurt less when the head rules the heart.

There's a hole in my heart where my Jake has passed through.
When we say goodbye part of me will go too.

Amy Waggoner


Poem For Cats

And God asked the feline spirit
Are you ready to come home?
Oh, yes, quite so, replied the precious soul
And, as a cat, you know I am most able
To decide anything for myself.

Are you coming then? asked God.
Soon, replied the whiskered angel
But I must come slowly
For my human friends are troubled
For you see, they need me, quite certainly.

But don't they understand? asked God
That you'll never leave them?
That your souls are intertwined. For all eternity?
That nothing is created or destroyed?
It just is....forever and ever and ever.

Eventually they will understand,
Replied the glorious cat
For I will whisper into their hearts
That I am always with them
I just am....forever and ever and ever.

Author Unknown

Puppy Paws

Fifteen years of puppy paws moved outside today.
Inside my heart is breaking,
the Light of my Life - Missy, has gone away.

I held her head, kissed her blurry eyes, and said "I Love You, Girl"
With gentle hands and heavy heart, I released her soul to God,
crying for her spirit to be free.
Never dreamed it would hurt so much,
Guess I wasn't thinking much of Me.

But she must be missing something,
she left her paws upon my heart.
Kind reminders of the time we had together,
I never wanted her to be the first to part.

They tug as fiercely as the shoestrings she once played with;
the tug of wars together, the one's I let her win.
The "tennies", the toys, all the things she loved speak about her passing
and I fall apart again.

Those little puppy "grunts" and kisses seem so far away.
I cry: "What was I thinking?
I said it'd be OK."

I said; "I'll be alright without you, If you really have to go.
No need for you to fret or worry,
we had our chance to love each other so."

Our final road together remains yet to be seen.
Puppy paws can be so gentle,
the pain they leave in passing, so mean.

"I'll hold them safely in my heart", I tell Her;
"but I'll let them run at will.
When we cross the Bridge together,
I know they will be still."

In Loving memory of my best friend and most faithful companion -
Judah Melissa Vader (Missy) 08/04/83 - 11/23/98, Michelle N. Lightner

Rainbow Bridge: Sequel To The Original

Oh, when we get to Heaven
We hope that we will find
The souls that once we loved
Who left us all behind.

Some left us at the right time
They left this world in peace
Others left too sudden
Without the chance to say Goodbye,
They were gone before we had
The chance to even cry.

There's a special place for grownups
A special place for kids
Me? I'll be on the other side
The side called Rainbow Bridge.

Across the dark green meadow
A'top the hills I'll run
Where the colors from the rainbow
Glitter from the sun.

And there I'll find my sweetheart
Running fast toward me
In my arms where he belongs
for all eternity.

Jean McColgan

Remember Our Love

I was chosen today
I'm learning to fly
the world took me away,
but please don't you cry

And I chose you today
to try and be strong
so please don't you cry
and don't say that I'm gone

When you're feeling alone
just remember our love,
I'm up near the stars
looking down from above.

Remember our love
In a moment you'll see
that I'm still here beside you
when you're thinking of me.

Julie Epp

SHADOW'S SONG (on the death of a cat)
I'm not gone...not really.
I haven't gone away...I've only gotten bigger.
My eyes, so bright, now shine among the stars.
My voice sings with the wind in winter, as I leap
And dance among the tree tops.
I stalk the blown leaves in autumn, and brush the
Flowers gently in the spring.
I come to you in dreaming, on feet grown dreamtime soft,
And lay my cheek against yours, and whisper:
"Peace be with you."
Someday we will play again together, you and I, among the stars.
'Til then, fear not to love, for your love gave my life meaning.
And I return that love to you...a hundredfold...a thousandfold...
Forever.

Copyright © 1996 by Audrey E. Nickel


Special Friend
I lost a special friend today
the kind you can't replace,
and looking at her empty bed
I still can see her face.

I see the endless energy
the sparkling puppy eyes,
Not the tired, fragile friend
I had to bid goodbye.

I know she's in a special place
our Lord has for such friends,
Where meadows, fields & flowers
help make them strong and whole again.

I remember how she'd run to me
to play her favorite puppy game,
And how her ears would perk right up
When she heard me call her name.

But as those precious years went by
And we both aged and grew,
I'd find her often slowing down
But-we had still so much to do.

Easter stands out in my mind
As she would always find the eggs,
The kids would have their baskets full
And she'd be there to beg.

Then there was the Christmas tree
with lots of candy canes,
As she devoured all she could
Surely, hoping it'd still look the same!

She did her guard dog duty well
Each time the doorbell rang,
Strangers surely couldn't see
My gentle friend--behind those fangs.

I've noticed in the recent times
Her ears were not as sharp,
Where is that running ball of fur
The years have shown their