Friday, March 2, 2012

Poetics: Abby, My Old-English Sheepdog

Abby after grooming early February 2012



 Abby and me on Valentine's Day 2012


Abby, My Old-English Sheepdog

My husband picked up Abby's ashes last night
and brought her home
one final time.
The metal box has paw prints on it and was cross-tied
with a soft pink ribbon, topped with a
pink bow like the pink bow
the groomer put on Abby’s head
in her last grooming. It stayed on
until I cut it off to keep
after the vet put her to sleep.
It was her first
and final bow.
(The groomer had always put
bandanas around her neck before that.)

Michael untied the ribbon and opened the lid and
Abby’s ashes were there in a plastic bag that was
strongly cinched
with the metal numbered medallion that followed Abby
throughout the cremation process.
The medallion is charred black
but the number is still readable. The same number
is on the cremation certificate.
(I will put it in Abby’s file with her
puppy-training-completion certificate.)

The plastic bag inside has
a small pink bow attached to it, next to the medallion.
Wow, what are the odds?
I kissed the bag right near
that fragile pink bow.

Michael also brought a dozen
white roses
to me along with Abby. They’re as white
as her beautiful white fur...
all except one that I pointed out as he was grooming them
to put in the vase.  He hadn’t noticed it at the store.
Amazingly, that one has the
slightest hint of pink to it.
I wanted to kiss it, give it
a final bow. Wow.
                                                   MLydiaM ~ March 2012






...my humble attempt written for Translucent Poetics: Writing Spoken Word at dVerse Poets Pub -- in memory of Abby, my favorite dog ever.  (Please visit the link to read the wonderful prompt and submissions by other poets.)

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21 comments:

Brian Miller said...

i am so sorry...this is sad...i hate to see dogs pass...they are so family...it hurts...def some tenderness there as well...

Sage Ravenwood said...

My heart aches for Abby, yet I read your beautiful words and feel such a gorgeous love. The heart connection is there sweet friend in all those little coincidences.

I think Abby wants you to know she okay. She knows how very much you loved her. (Hugs)Indigo

Fireblossom said...

Tears. I haven't got any words to add to what you've written except to say that i know how hard it is.

Eko said...

Surullinen tarina - onnelliset ja mukavat muistot.
Hienot muistot säilyvät.

Cathy Feaster said...

this is sad and beautiful...and that slightly pink flower, wow!

Rob-bear said...

So sad. So poignant. So beautiful.

Blessings and Bear hugs, Lydia.

Stickup Artist said...

Dear Lydia, I'm so sorry about the loss of your faithful, gorgeous companion Abby. I'm glad your husband is helpful and sensitive as well. Abby was blessed to have found her way to you, and you gave her a great life and a loving home. And she gave back her sweet nature and unconditional love. Please except my heartfelt sympathy for your loss. A Hug...

Don't Feed The Pixies said...

x x x x x

(for abby)

Claudia said...

so sorry lydia...i had a dog when i was a teenager...a real friend...and was so hard when i lost him..def. felt..

Lydia said...

Brian~ Thank you for your sympathy.

Indigo~ Your comment was wonderful. Thank you for speaking on Abby's behalf.

Fireblossom~ I appreciate your sensitivity.

Eko~ I translated your message, and thank you so much.

Caty~ Thanks, and yes, that pink.....

Rob-bear~ Your comment brought great comfort.

Stickup~ Thank you for the hug and for mentioning my husband's share in the pain and healing. We loved her so much and she loved us equally.

Pixies~ xxx from our house to yours.

Claudia~ I was touched to read about your dog, as it seems you have never had another. It makes the loss of your special friend even sadder to me. :(

hyperCRYPTICal said...

So sad and beautiful and brought tears to my eyes.

God Bless

Anna :o]

Owen said...

Heart goes out to you in this hour of loss, may all the wonderful moments come flooding back in memory and help wash the sadness away... it is hard that our four legged friends don't live as long as we do. Saying goodbye is never easy.

mythopolis said...

A touching eulogy. I was reminded of that song, "Old Shep". Of course, my dog is dying now, and I will soon have to put her down. So, it's very much on my mind.

Candice Michele said...

Hugs and kisses

kj said...

lydia, i know exactly your grief. how could it be otherwise?

i wonder if abby will seek out stella and together they will confirm how much they are loved. it is such a huge loss. that white pink rose is so tender, lydia. all of the symbols you will now have to remind you, to remember this dear sweet member of your beloved family

take good care of yourself. i know you will look for signs. they will come.

it has been two months since we lost stella and i know she is saying, 'save another, save another'. it is almost time

with love always
kj

ds said...

Oh, so sad to lose a four-footed family member. You have honored Abby beautifully. Take a bow. (Wow.)

Lydia said...

hyperCRYPTICal~ So sweet of you to feel this loss. Thank you.

Owen~ Thank you. Saying goodbye is horrible. None of us, of course, knows what, if anything, comes afterward...but I cannot imagine never seeing Abby again. I hope I have some dreams of her....

mythopolis~ I have thought of you and your dog during this time. I'm not sure if I could have stood it if Abby had had a long illness that required my planning to have her put to sleep. I mean, her arthritis had gotten so bad that we had to lift her up the porch stairs...but the suddenness of what became her final 24 hours has left me reeling. Neither way--long or short goodbye--is easy. :(

Frosty~ Thank you and how lovely to see you.

kj~ I like to think that Stella welcomed Abby, and that they were welcomed by our other dear dogs from the past. No leash requirements in the big dog park beyond!!!

ds~ So kind of you. My mother always referred to dogs as "bow-wows" and it came so naturally to use it in this poem. When we rescued Abby from Texas Old English Sheepdog Rescue she was put in a van to travel here to Oregon. There were other pick-ups and deliveries of rescues along the route, and the van had engine trouble to boot, so no clear day of arrival was set. Abby arrived on my mother's birthday (my mother had passed seven years earlier) which made me smile.

Prospero said...

Lydia, i am so sorry to hear about Abby. We grieve at the loss of family and friends and so too should we morn our pets, for if they are not truly friends i can not say what they are. i will be devastated when my pretty papillon passes away, and so my heart earnestly goes out to you now.

Lydia said...

Prospero~ I really appreciate your message. It has been a difficult time, and comments from caring people like you have helped each day get a bit better.
Your papillon is indeed pretty and I so hope you have many more vital years together.

Kathe W. said...

what a lovely dog and what love you gave ....

Lydia said...

Kathe~ So nice to have this comment from you on a night when the moonlight looked to me a bit lost because it could not glow atop Abby's head....

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