2 POEMS THAT HAVE REALLY HELPED ME WITH PET LOSS

[Doggymommy]

I Stood By Your Bed Last Night


I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep. 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 "good-night, 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.

- Author unknown

and...

I AM NOT THERE

Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn's rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there, I did not die.

Various sources attribute this poem to the one of the following authors:
(A) Mary Frye
(B) Joyce Fossen
(C) An unknown member of the Hobi Native American Tribe

[caramel]

Thanks for posting these poems Staci, I cry everytime I come here and these poems do give some comfort.

[Night Crawler]

Oh my, these are making me cry. Glad you posted them though as they are so true! Except when reading them flashes of all the babies I've lost over the years came rushing back and I started feeling the pain of loss all over again, even for the ones I lost 20 or more years ago. I always want to choke people who think losing a pet is something you can and should, just shrug off. Who think that we should not feel real grief - and that even if we do that's it's not the same as losing a human you care about - at worst should only cause one or two good cries, after which we could easily put it of our minds and move on. Of course we move on quicker when losing a pet than we do when losing a human we loved, but I believe it's only because we going into furry relationships knowing their life spans are so much shorter than ours! That doesn't mean we feel any less grief!

My animals have, and continue to, mean more to mean than most humans!

Doggymommy, I have copied and saved these. I plan to share them with some human people in my life (no, not to pick on them), so again, thank you so much for posting them.

[gary]

That First One had my wife Anne in Tears.
So she didn't read the second One.
Going to email these around a bit.

Well done Staci.

[Doggymommy]

Please tell Anne I didn't mean for her to cry. I cry as well when I read them, I have both posted on my refrigerator and have for many years.

Even though they make me cry, I have always gotten some comfort from them as well.

I just posted them to perhaps bring some comfort to all of us who have lost "family members" over the years.

[gary]

Nah Staci.
Anne's Tears were nice tears, not upset tears if you know what I mean.

You know what that doesnt make sense.........Evan I don't know what I mean.

Staci It is a great post, Well done.

[Doggymommy]

It's OK Gary, Since I am a woman I completely understand "nice tears" I tell Keith all the time, when I cry at the end of a really good movie with a happy ending and I am crying, that they are 'nice tears" ...he doesn't quite get it either (ha ha)

[litlshell]

These 2 poems get to me too. Especially the first one.

[jake's mom]

I had to print them off because I can't read them right now - at work but from a quick glance at the first one, I think it is the one that ran in Ann Landers years and years ago and I lost my clipping of it. I've been looking for it for a while on-line and could never find it. Thanks Staci. There was another one that ended with the dog telling the owner thank you and I haven't been able to locate that one either. I think there was another one that she printed too, something about "all dogs do go to heaven"? These all just make the tears stream but they do help when...its time.

[/./zero/./]

I dont cry to much honestly. But those poems made me bawl. So touching! They truly do help! thanks a lot i loved them

[tinacroatina]

oh such nice words in the poem,so simple and true just like dogs are...maybe thats why everyone likes it.I waited to adopt a pet for 30 something years and finaly Andy and I bought a house with a garden and sedle down..and decided to have a puppy coz we are both huge animal lovers.We fall in love with Lilo,a first photo of the puppy breader send us,she was a pekeingese and we both never even seen pekingese hehehe.We were both so nervus and had no idea what size the puppy would be and there she was,the small ball of fluf,cutest thing we ever seen.It was a love at first site.She was the luckies puppy in the world to got us as parents coz we were spoiling her rotten.we enjoy every minute of time with her and i even convinced my boss to take her to work till shes bigger.anyways..dont want to bore you hehe
month went buy and Lilo just wasnt active and happy like other pupies.she would sleep alot,not eat much and in general she looked sad . Andy tought she was lonely while we were at work so we decided to get her a sister Mala.In the beginning it seams like she was more active coz they would play together but then eventually she was back to her self,sleeping alot and loosing wait.We took her to the vet so many times but there was no answer till one day we decided to leave her there and have a proper scan to get to the bottom of it.we juts felt to helpless and sad that we couldnt help her and make her happier.
if i only knew this would be her last day..i would have never leave her there ,at vets,with strangers,away from familiar things.I would have taken the day off,take her for longest walk,feed her rost chicken and ribs and do what ever puppies likes the best!But i didnt know and the news of her not having developes kidneys and have to be put down at 6 months came hard,really hard.Somehow I didnt cry that day coz it was such a shock and i wanted to be "happy mommy Tina" for her when they inject her.strange really, but it was good because Andy was weeping like a small child and he could go in the"death room" with us.I knew i had to be there with her all the way.When I saw her,I was pist off at vets people coz they left the green gunk in her eyes,god knows if anyone gave her any attention for those hours she spend there.They asked if we wonna keep the basket"hell yes,I wont leave it to you!!!It was Lilos basket..she loved it so much..
In the "death room" they battle to find her vain,so it took a while and eventualy Andy came,wondering what was happening.I'm so glad he did coz i was worried he will regret never saying goodbye to out little smoochy.And there she was beeing sweet Lilo,as sick as she was,she wiggle her tail as soon as she saw him!I'll never forget that.
Then they asked us to leave the "death room" coz they could find the vain,she was so skinny and now they will have to do it directly into her heart.
Like robots we went out and came back when they called us...and there she was,laying dead,with her eyes open,looking so beautifull,like she was alive.6 moths..that all we had with her and we already loved her so much.When I saw this forum..i just wanted to say that I understand how terrible it must be after 15 years to loose such good companion.You cannot compare this love to a human love....or this loss with human loss...it is something that only a pet owner can know understand.I see it even bigger than human love coz humans are capable of beeing mean and hurt you on purpose...animals love is so innocent and pure,there for they loss can be even grater.
It feels really good to tell this story,coz I havent to anyone.I dont want you to think we are still sad coz fortunately we have Mala,Lilo's sister..and house was never empty after Lilo was gone.it was much easier.Somethimes I think that it was good that she left us so early coz I dont think we would handle it so well if we have had her longer.we know this coz of Mala who I believe is the luckiest puppy in the world to have us and we often say when we watch her healty and happy "every puppy should be treated this way".....

[caramel]

tinacroatina, hugs for you. It's always hard when it's time, but what you and your Lilo went through must have been so bad.
She will wait for you with all our loved ones at the bridge.

[Sadie G]

Tina I am so sorry for your loss. I understand what you meant about being the happy mommy during their last moments, you had to hold back your own emotion. I was the same way with Boomer, he was having one seizure after another and I felt that I had to keep my self calm and talking to him while they did the injection. I completely fell apart once the injection was done, but I had to hold it together for him up until that time. I am surprised they tried to find the vein with you in the room. The vet did that in the back room while they were examining Boomer so we didn't have to see that part. Then the vet came out and told us what we already knew, he had to be put to sleep. I am so glad you have Mala, what a great comfort!!

[4 the Dogs]

"You cannot compare this love to a human love....or this loss with human loss...it is something that only a pet owner can know understand.I see it even bigger than human love coz humans are capable of beeing mean and hurt you on purpose...animals love is so innocent and pure,there for they loss can be even grater."

I completely agree. I'm so sorry for your loss. Sending Hugs to you!

[Choibunny]

Thank you Doggymommy for posting those wonderful poems. I'm glad my Rosie is sleeping, otherwise she would see me crying and that would only confuse her!
I have just got up to give Rosie a kiss and she woke and looked at me as if so say "shhh woman! Can't you see I'm sleeping?!"...Silly puppy.
Dogs fill our lives with magic and unprecidented love.