The l♥ves of my life ~ the dogs of my life...my last companions in life

When I first began to read the words below in the poem Best Friend, I thought it was another of those pieces we find on the web about the love we have for our animals...pretty generic, most of them - then word by word my heart became more affected and my mind began to conjure up images and my body brought about deep emotion and feeling.

The last few words I feel were written just for me (the blue italics are mine) and only for me, not true, but my soul owns those words, words I want read at my funeral, near my grave, the last words spoken just before everyone begins to leave, to get on with their lives again...now that I am gone. But even though I will be gone from life, and they will think I am dead and alone, there will be excellent companions who will stay close to me forever...forward into the night, and far beyond.

My sweet Freyja

We made them

in the image of our fears

to cry at doors

at partings - even brief

to beg for food at table

and to look at us with those big

aching eyes

and to stay with us

when our children flee.

And sleep upon our beds

on darkest nights

and cringe at thunder

as in our own childhood frights.

We made them sad-eyed

loving, loyal, scared

of life without us.

We nurtured their dependency and grief.

We keep them as reminders of our fear.

We love them as the unacknowledged hosts

of our own terror

of the grave - abandonment.

Hold my paw

for I am dying.

Sleep upon my coffin.

Wait for me,

sad-eyed,

in the middle of the drive

that curves beyond the cemetery wall.

I hear your bark

I hear your mournful bark

Oh, may all the dogs

that I have ever loved,

carry my coffin

howl at the moonless sky

and lie down with me sleeping

when I die.

~Best friends by Erica Jong

Scout, 100% of his love, 100% of the time