Everlove (Softly to Be Let In)

photo of card from our neighbor

This poem is about a dog,

you know the one,

the one who danced in the kitchen

with the kids after dinner;

the one who nibbled gently

on your shirtsleeve

when you played and scratched and loved him;

the one who howled happy,

and barked deep if asked to speak,

but softly to be let in;

the one who taught you more

than you taught him.

This poem is about a dog

who, with his final breaths,

looked you, each, in the face

one long, loving, last time.

© 2016 Jennifer Wagner

In Memory of Druke Wagner 2000-2016

friend

photo © 2014 jennifer wagner

extra treats,

longer hugs.

laryngeal paralysis

& age

are taking you

into

the next phase.

we mentally

try to hear

the future

empty

of hefty paws

padding the floor,

and your bones

groaning

with the creaking of the stairs.

we say things like:

remember when he stole that entire ham?

           

we’ll never have another dog

like him.

           

he’s happy;

he’s had a good life.

           

i want to be the one to dig his grave,

when you know,

“it”

comes.

your slow-wag tail,

your chocolate eyes

melt us

and each of us

searches

for how

we can learn to say,

do svidaniya, drug.

© 2014 Jennifer Wagner

I’ve been working on this one for a while.  Too emotional.  Our big, mellow Labrador, Druke, is 13 years old and the signs are all there.  “Druke” is how we spell his name, pronounced “drug/droogk” meaning “friend” in Russian.

до свидания, друг

Poetry Jam:  Letting Go

Poets United Midweek Motif:  In Two or More Languages