"Inspirational Poems"

A Faithful Dog will play with you
And laugh with you or cry
He'll gladly starve to stay with you
Nor ever wonder why.

And when you're feeling out of sorts
Somehow he'll understand
He'll watch you with his shining eyes
And try to lick your hand.

His blind, implicit faith in you
Is matched by his great love -
The kind that all of us should have
In the Saviour, up above.

When everything is said and done
I guess this isn't odd
For when you spell "dog" backwards
You get the name of GOD.

~Anonymous~

Weep not for me though I am gone
Into that gentle night
Grieve if you will, but not for long
Upon my soul's sweet flight.
I am at peace, my soul's at rest
There is no need for tears;
For with your love, I was so blessed
For all those many years.
There is no pain, I suffer not,
The fear now all is gone.
Put now these things out of your thoughts,
In your memory I live on.
Remember not my fight for breath
Remember not the strife
Please do not dwell upon my death,
But celebrate my life.

~Consta Jenkins~

I got to the gate of Heaven yesterday
after we said good-bye.
I began to miss you terribly,
because I heard you cry.
Suddenly there was an Angel and she asked me
to enter Heaven's gate.
I asked her if I could stay outside and wait
for someone who'd be late.
I wouldn't make much noise you see,
I wouldn't bark or howl.
I'll only wait here patiently
and play with my tennis ball.
The Angel said I could stay right here
and wait for you to come
Because Heaven just wouldn't be Heaven
if I went in alone.
So I'll wait right here, you take your time,
but keep me in your heart.
Because Heaven just wouldn't be Heaven
without you to warm my heart.

~Anonymous~

Memories are treasures
time cannot take away.
So may we be surrounded
by happy ones today.
May all the love and tenderness
of golden days and years well spent
Come back today to fill our hearts
with beauty and content.
And may we walk down memory lane
and meet the ones we love,
For while we cannot see them,
They'll be watching from above....
So, for their sakes, be happy
and show them that their love
Has proven strong and big enough
to reach down from above.

~Mattie Brainard~

I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peek.
I could see that you were crying, you found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at the shops today, your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.
I was with you at my grave today, you tend it with such care.
I want to reassure you, that I'm not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key,
I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said "It's me."
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me to be so near you everyday,
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."
You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew...
In the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over...I smile and watch you yawning and say,
"Goodnight, God Bless, I'll see you in the morning."
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out...then come home to be with me.

~Anonymous~

The silence without you is deafening,
Even when we were totally quiet,
Even when sleeping,
I could hear and feel your presence.

There are so many sounds and sensations,
That were part of me and part of you
Together in our coexistence;
Your breathing
Your movement
Your smell
Your voice
Your thoughts.
yes, sometimes I could actually hear you thinking.

Now you are gone.
I look for you several times a day,
But you are not there.
I listen for you every moment,
Waiting for the confirmation of your being,
And realizing every moment
That you are no longer here.

The silence is deafening.
I never could have imagined
The void that your death would cause.
All other sounds and sensations in my life
Continue uninterrupted.
They pale in comparison
To the silence of your absence.

~Anonymous~

If it should be I grow frail and weak,
And pain should wake me from my sleep,
Then you must do what must be done,
For this last battle can't be won.

You will be sad, I'll understand,
Don't let your grief then stay your hand,
For this day more than all the rest,
Your love and friendship stand the test.

We've had so many happy years,
What is to come will hold no fears,
You'll not want me to suffer, so,
When the time comes, please let me go.

I know in time, you too will see,
It is a kindness you do me,
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering, I've been saved.

Do not grieve that it should be you
Who has to decide this thing to do
We've been so close, we two, these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears.

~Anonymous~

You're giving me a special gift,
So sorrowfully endowed,
And through these last few cherished days,
Your courage makes me proud.

But really, love is knowing
When your best friend is in pain,
And understanding earthly acts
Will only be in vain.

So looking deep into your eyes,
Beyond, into your soul,
I see in you the magic, that will
Once more make me whole.

The strength that you possess,
Is why I look to you today,
To do this thing that must be done,
For it's the only way.

That strength is why I've followed you,
And chose you as my friend,
And why I've loved you all these years...
My partner 'till the end.

Please, understand just what this gift
You're giving, means to me,
It gives me back the strength I've lost
And all my dignity.

You take a stand on my behalf,
For that is what friends do.
And know that what you do is right,
For I believe it too.

So one last time, I breathe your scent,
And through your hand I feel
The courage that's within you
To now grant me this appeal.

Cut the leash that holds me here,
Dear Friend, and let me run,
Once more a strong and steady dog,
My pain and struggle done.

And don't despair my passing,
For I won't be far away.
Forever here, within your heart
And memory I'll stay.

I'll be there watching over you,
Your ever faithful friend.
And in your memories I'll run
...a young dog once again.

~Karen Clouston~

As I sit in those moments of quiet,
When sadness invades me,
I know that yesterday,
You were here.

Now you are away from us,
Not knowing your future,
Or when you'll come home, but yesterday,
You were here.

It has now been a week,
A week since you last were in the house,
An entire week since we carried you away,
To the place where we did not know your future.
But just last week,
You were here.

Another day passes;
A week ago, you were still with us,
In daily reports from the clinic,
They did not know your future,
But we could still hope, and,
You were here.

More days pass;
A week ago you left us,
Your head cradled in our hands,
Your spirit gracefully moving upward,
But for a few hours of that day,
You were here.

Sadness invades again,
As I know that once those hours pass,
I can no longer look back,
Over the span of a familiar week's time,
To find that comforting point when,
You were here.

More time will pass;
Sadness will not so much invade as menace,
And I will mark the days,
Saying things like,
"Last month, last summer, last Halloween, last year,"
You were here.

I dread that day,
One year from now,
That first marking of the time,
That your body was no longer with us;
Though we will never forget you,
Your tangible memory fades.
The feel of your fur, your head, your back, your weight against us,
The smell and sounds of you when,
You were here.

The emptiness is beginning to fade,
To change into another reality,
One with you still playing a part,
But a role of ethereal presence
Rather than the physical comfort we crave;
Your memory, your spirit, your essence and counsel
Dwell with us, but this feeling is not the same as when,
You were here.

~Jenine Stanley~

Dear Lord,
Please open your gates and call St. Francis to
come and escort this beloved companion across the
Rainbow Bridge.

Assign him a place of honor,
for he has been a faithful servant
and has always tried to please me.

Bless the hands that send him to you,
For they do so in love and compassion
freeing him from pain and suffering.

Grant me the strength not to dwell on my loss
Help me remember the details of his life
with the love he has shown me
And grant me the courage to honor him
by sharing these memories with others.

Let him remember me well
Let him know I will always love him
And when it is my time
to pass over into Your paradise
Please allow him to accompany
those that will bring me home.

Thank You Lord
For the gift of his companionship
and the time we've had together.
And Thank You Lord
For granting me the strength
To give him to you now.

Amen

~Anonymous~

My best friend closed his eyes last night,
As his head was in my hand.
The Doctors said he was in pain,
And it was hard for him to stand.

The thoughts that scurried through my head,
As I cradled him in my arms.
Were of his younger, puppy years,
And OH...his many charms.

Today, there was no gentle nudge
With an intense "I love you gaze",
Only a heart thats filled with tears
Remembering our joy filled days.

But an Angel just appeared to me,
And he said, "You should cry no more,
GOD also loves our canine friends,
HE's installed a 'doggy-door"!

~jan cooper '95~

Hello. I've been expecting you for quite some time.
Here, come sit beside us for awhile.
and let me tell you about this old friend of mine.
She might look tattered or maybe old
But I won't say goodbye until you've been told.
She had the brightest eyes I had ever seen,
And wore a beautiful fur coat that would out shine a queen.
She was never prissy but walked with an aire ......
And oh so polite, you could take her most anywhere.
She could run like the wind and could catch anything she chased
But she protected and sat with me when I had problems to face.
You could not find a friend nearly so dear.
Because no matter the trouble she always stayed near...
She has never asked for much from me;
Just to love and respect her and I think you'll agree.
To give her a good meal plus a nice warm bed is not much to ask;
When she has given me all her love and to her this was no task.
Now I understand you have a schedule to keep.
But I have a small favor before she nods off to sleep.
Please fold your wings around her and let her feel young while in no pain;
Dear Guardian Angel of Pets,
please keep her safe and happy until I see her again.

~Ginger Patton~

To have loved and then said farewell, is better than to have never loved at all.
For all of the times that you have stooped and touched my head, fed me my favorite treat
and returned the love that I so unconditionally gave to you,
For the care that you gave to me so unselfishly,
For all of these things I am grateful and thankful.

I ask that you not grieve for the loss, but rejoice in the fact that we lived,
loved and touched each others lives.
My life was fuller because you were there, not as a master/owner,
but as my FRIEND.

Today I am as I was in my youth.
The grass is always green, butterflies flit among the flowers
and the sun shines gently down upon all of God's creatures.
I can run, jump, play and do all of the things that I did in my youth.
There is no sickness, no aching joints and no regrets and no aging.

We await the arrival of our lifelong companions and know that togetherness is forever.
You live in our hearts as we do in yours.
Companions such as you are so rare and unique.
Don't hold the love that you have within yourself.
Give it to another like me and then I will live forever.
For love never really dies, and you are loved and missed as surely as we are.

Your Pets In Heaven

~by Ken D. Conover~

Sunlight streams through window pane
unto a spot on the floor....
then I remember,
it's where you used to lie,
but now you are no more.
Our feet walk down a hall of carpet,
and muted echoes sound....
then I remember,
It's where your paws would joyously abound.
A voice is heard along the road,
and up beyond the hill,
then I remember it can't be yours....
your golden voice is still.
But I'll take that vacant spot of floor
and empty muted hall
and lay them with the absent voice
and unused dish along the wall.
I'll wrap these treasured memorials
in a blanket of my love
and keep them for my best friend
until we meet above.

~Author Unknown~

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~

Time has past since that dreadful day
when the Lord decided to take you away
The emptiness still lingers from time to time
but when I think about you I know I'll be fine

You were more than just pets
you were our best friends
Faithful companions
from beginning to end

With your friendly bark and wagging tail
you never showed if you ailed
Running and playing morning to night
never a mean growl or a bite

We wish you were still here right by our side
but you'll always be with us deep down inside
We gave you a home and you gave us your heart
there is no way we will ever part

The love that you showed us we'll never forget
We'll love you forever; You are our Pets

~John Quealy~

GOODBYE

With heavy hearts; and a tear in our eyes
after all these years; we must say goodbye
Please understand; we've done all we could
if there was anything we could do; you know we would

I'm sitting right here; gently rub your ears
while I talk to you softly; trying to hold back the tears
The memories you gave us; we'll never forget
especially the ones; of the day we all met

One last hug; and one last kiss
you have no idea; how much you'll be missed
To look into your eyes; this one last time
you tell me it's ok; you know it's your time

Close your eyes now; and go to sleep
we'll pray to the Lord; you're soul he'll keep
Go in peace now; our good friend
we'll stay right here with you; until the end

Dream of that special day and time
when we'll meet at the Bridge; and all will be fine
We'll run and play; side by side
with a soft warm feeling; deep down inside

Your memory will live on; in each one of us
you'll always be number 1; to all of us
Have a safe journey; through the night
I promise when you awake; you'll be in God's light

So with heavy hearts; and tears in our eyes
just for now my friend; we say goodbye

~John Quealy~

To My Best Friend

The day they laid you down to sleep
I prayed to the Lord; your soul he'll keep
Until the appointed day and time
when together we'll meet; and all will be fine

With all God's creatures great and small
go run and play now, have a ball
No more aches; and no more pain
just bright sunshine; no more rain

Rest in peace; for now best friend
cradled in God's arms; to the end
Dream of that special; day and time
when we'll meet at the Bridge; one last time

Although we'll be separated; for a long time
we'll be together then; and all will be fine
We'll cross Rainbow Bridge; side by side
with a soft warm feeling; deep down inside

Once again then; all will be fine
we're together forever; till the end of time

~John Quealy~

You're filled with anger and disbelief
you ask why take your pet; she never hurt a leaf
Nothing makes sense; as you sit down and cry
but only the good Lord; can really say why

Into all our lives; a little rain must fall
and we must be strong; to answer that call
It usually happens; when our guard is down
then your feelings go on a merry-go-round

You must hold on tight now; with all your might
because it's always darkest; before the light
Stop and take a look; down deep in your heart
it's there you'll find the strength; to make a new start

Your little one is now home; in Heaven above
cradled in God's arms; covered with his love
This isn't the end; you'll see her one day
and on that special day; you'll be together to stay

~John Quealy~

PRAYER FOR A SICK STRAY

A four-legged friend has suddenly become ill
she's running a temperature and has a bad chill
She's roaming our streets with nowhere to stay
watch over her Lord please guide her my way

I'll take her and keep her; I'll make her well
she'll be fit as a fiddle; and loud as a bell
I promise to watch over her and give her a loving home
she'll be happy and safe; she won't have to roam

So this I ask of you; I beg of you; I pray
Lord watch over her and please; guide her my way

~John Quealy~

Christmas Without My Dog

The tree is all trimmed.
The gifts are all wrapped.
The hymns are all sung,
And the travel plans mapped.

And still there's a sadness
That lies in your heart,
For a dog that was lost
And a love now apart.

A stocking is missing,
With toys and a treat.
A lap is now empty,
A space at your feet.

Yet remember this season
God's small gift to you,
Wonderful memories
To treasure life through.

~Anonymous~

Fragile Circle

"We who choose to surround ourselves with lives
even more temporary than our own,
live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached.
Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way.
We cherish memory as the only certain immortality,
never fully understanding the necessary plan."

~Irving Townsend~

       

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