The lights in the cottage at night
Show her cataracts and in the gloom I now see an old lady
She’s now almost blind in one eye.
And walks a little stiffly now
But she eats well even though her weight is now light for her size.
We walked out last night at dusk.
Roger now leading as she once did
She following
As he once did.
We stopped at the field gate
And Roger dipped his head to the grass
But Mary didn’t……
She stood still and held her head up to the night breeze and closed her eyes
And in that moment
I couldn’t have loved my old girl more
Jesus johno
ReplyDeleteI’ve got something in my eye
Lee
So have I my old friend
DeleteAwe bless her , still enjoying life x
ReplyDeleteShe is
DeleteSo beautiful.
ReplyDelete🩷😕
DeleteI’m crying for a love of an old Welsh terrier I’ve never met
ReplyDeleteLove from Ceri in Leeds
Thank you ceri and thank you for your email x
DeleteOh Mary , I remember you arriving as a puppy in 2015
ReplyDeleteDidn’t your dad call you “ Rocket” ?
From Elaine, a very long time follower, a first time commentator
He did indeed Elaine ,he did indeed
DeleteThat's beautiful, thank you. Thinking of you all , especially over the next few days. Hugs. Jxx
ReplyDeleteIf feeling emotional hence the post x
DeleteOh, how very sweet and sad that dearest Mary is showing her age but is still game for going for a walk. What trust she has in you and Roger.
ReplyDeleteKeeping you and your co-workers in thought and prayer.
Hugs!
Thank you babs
DeleteAbsolutely beautiful, like a poem
ReplyDeleteI love you John
Keith
Xx
Aww… thank you
DeleteMary was a gift from my husband to salve the grief of Meg , my old co pilot
See
Deletehttps://disasterfilm.blogspot.com/2015/06/my-co-pilot.html
You know the day they come to live with you that, one day, they will break your heart.
ReplyDeleteAnd she has already
DeleteBless her. x
ReplyDeleteYes bless her
DeleteJohn, bless you both. I’m sending love to you and the four leggeds.
DeleteThinking about you morning and night and praying for good news. Carol in A
Thank u carol x
DeleteOh, animals do wind themselves around our hearts, don't they? Even if they're not our animals and we've never met them. Such a beautiful, graceful, elderly lady. xx
ReplyDeleteBeautifully put
DeleteEvery beautiful moment is a precious gift 💝
ReplyDelete🩷🩷
DeleteSweet Mary. She's the matriarch. A beautiful girl marching on with her loving family.
ReplyDeleteAn old matriarch , as was Dorothy, Winnie and Meg
DeleteOh, John. Dear Mary.
ReplyDeleteMy miss moon🩷
DeleteYou paint such wonderful pictures with just a few words. You, sweet Mary, dim Roger, dear Bun, and warrior Weaver are in my thoughts & heart.
ReplyDeleteHugs to you all.
Thank u dearHeart
DeleteMary is such a sweetheart.
ReplyDelete🩷🩷
Deleteoften times, your emotions through written words move me to tears. this is a good thing...... sweet Mary. So loved.....
ReplyDeleteSusan M/ Calif.
Thank you;susan
DeleteAt the same stage with my last little dog. Some days the ageing process is more noticeable than others, and it is heartbreaking. Then another day there is a day like the old days. And you remember how they were and it lifts your heart. King wrote a poem about giving your heart to a dog to tear. Says it all, really.
ReplyDeleteSorry, spellchecker changed Kipling to King while I wasn't looking!
DeleteAnd here it is:
DeleteThere is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.
Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie—
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart for a dog to tear.
When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find—it’s your own affair—
But… you’ve given your heart to a dog to tear.
When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!).
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone—wherever it goes—for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.
We’ve sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we’ve kept ’em, the more do we grieve:
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-time loan is as bad as a long—
So why in—Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?
Thank you for finding that and reproducing it, Traveller. I couldn't bear to; even at my cynical old age it still makes me cry whenever I read it.
DeleteTraveller, I know the poem well,
DeleteYou give your heart to a dog to tear
Is the most powerful and apt description of grief
Beautiful and heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteAgreed 🩷🩷
DeleteAwwww, so touching. Animals carry our history as well as theirs.
ReplyDeleteThey break your heart
DeleteThe last three paragraphs are such a moving and beautiful poem. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGeorgia
Thank you dearheart
DeleteOh damn, that made me tear up.
ReplyDeleteHugs you old softie x
DeleteBeautiful Mary. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteShe’s the inspiration
DeleteBeautifully written, and so evocative, as usual. Olivia
ReplyDeleteThank u Olivia
DeleteFeeling the same way about my dear Annie but I cannot put my feelings to words the way you do. Thanks
ReplyDeleteXx🩷🌈🙏
DeleteI do wish you'd stop this type of posting, I'm running out of tissues!
ReplyDeleteIt’s been an emotional week
DeleteGosh where has the time gone? I can't believe Mary is 10; poor sweet girl. They capture your heart and them break it one day, bitter sweet couldn't be a truer saying. The last couple of lines of your post had me sniffing ...and I have to go to work!
ReplyDeleteShe’s 11
DeleteBeautiful. Sad. For some reason your description of Mary made me think of Pat. And I cried.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely
DeleteBlubbing inside for dearest little Mary. Can't hold it in much longer.
ReplyDeleteOh Raymondo , you are such a soft lovable pudding
DeleteYour dear girl. So sad those moments when you realise that time has passed so much and how precious they are.
ReplyDeleteI was so proud of her sniffing the wind
DeleteI'm waiting for you to write a book about the love of dogs xx
ReplyDeleteOk I’ll try
DeleteSweet Mary. Always heartbreaking to see them age but so much love along the years.
ReplyDeleteXx
DeleteAgeing dogs have a grace all of their own.
ReplyDeleteAnd a sadness
DeleteDear, sweet girl, Mary.
ReplyDeleteI wish her well and many more walks with both you and Roger.
From me, Carole R. Forgot to name myself.
ReplyDeleteThank you Carole x
DeleteI remember she sat on my lap in your kitchen, I fussed her and she was adorable.
ReplyDeleteSending more hugs xx Libsxxxx
Libs I remember that, she loves women
Deletemy eyes welled up! I don't understand poetry and am not sure if this is what you have created here but it's bloody beautiful. I hope your Mary is with you for many years to come. Betty
ReplyDeleteJust words
DeleteYou painted a loving picture with your words, John.
ReplyDeleteThank u
DeleteThat was beautifully written John. Dogs are simply the best.
ReplyDeleteThank you my friend , sorry I’ve not visited in a while I’ve been remiss in blog visiting for obvious reasons
DeleteI've been reading about people making loads of money by self publishing. Just saying... Hint, hint, say no more! 😉 xx
ReplyDeleteoh for goodness sake give it a rest
DeleteIf it were John saying that, I would heed. From some anonymous person, who can't be a*sed to put a name to their comment, NO.
DeleteSay what you feel HH xx always
DeleteMy little Peggy will be 11 next week and is also getting cataracts. The Vet says she should have many years left in her, but will I? She does not jump up on the bed with me at night anymore but can still do it in daylight. Mary is lucky to have Roger to guide her. My dog is like velcro, stuck to me always. I sit her hoping for good news for you and your work mates. Hugs, Gigi
ReplyDeletePeggy
DeleteA lovely name for a bitch
You are good for one another.
ReplyDeleteWe are old friends
DeleteOld dogs really know how to enjoy their moments don't they. Ours taught us so much during their final years. Every bask in the sun, every stretch out by the fire and every leaning into a stroke or a touch from a loved one. And also how doing zoomies on the beach should never be a thing to stop doing, even if it leaves you collapsed and panting for ten minutes. :-)
ReplyDeleteNicely put x
DeleteThey are gifts in our lives JG, my little one will be 17 in Oct, the cataracts, slowing down (except at feeding time when she can walk on her two back legs !!) Everyday I look at her and am so grateful she came to me. She does however have an odour problem now but I can live with that xx
ReplyDeleteMary whiffs a bit too
DeleteHug
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
Right back at you
DeleteHow time flies.
ReplyDeleteOur old Daisy Dog wanted to go out as usual at 2 a.m. She saw a small hedgehog and then whined to be taken out, again and again, to see if it was still there.
🩷🩷🌈
DeleteYou are doing a very good job of clearing my eye ducts this week. xx
ReplyDeleteThat’s my job
DeleteI love this! I have an old girl, 13 or 14 and a half, cataracts thickening, going deaf, but still is up for an adventure!
ReplyDelete🙏🩷
Delete