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<\/p>\nLucky Dog died two years ago today, at 2:10pm. We miss him still, of course. I think we always will. He was a gift from the Universe and was with us during the very best times over 10 years.<\/p>\n
It was a bad year for dogs close to home: Shy (Joe), Gracie (Earl & Marcia), and Kaboom (Paul) \u2013 all within a few blocks of here, all friends of Lucky. Survivors know that the end of our loved ones\u2019 suffering is most important and outweighs our own pain in grief. Lucky suffered longer than, and more than, he should have, but we needed to be together as long as we could.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Heaven of Animals<\/b><\/p>\n
The meadow is his home now.
\nUp high in the mountains,
\nhe lies in the shade
\nin a circle of trees
\namong the wild iris.<\/p>\n
He yawns and stretches,
\nflips over
\nand rolls and rolls,
\ngroaning in pleasure
\nin the tall sweet grass.<\/p>\n
At any moment
\nhe will sit up, alert,
\nears sharp,
\nsniffing the air,
\neyes intent on something
\nwe can\u2019t see
\noff under the trees.<\/p>\n
His world is perfect now,
\nthough I know he misses
\nthe pats, the belly rubs,
\nthe love in our voices:
\nlie down.
\nstay now.
\ngood boy. mjh<\/p>\n
7\/7\/2004<\/p>\n
I wrote this five years before Lucky Dog died, remembering a beautiful spot the three of us discovered. And, imagining the inevitable, I sobbed. This supports my hope that \u201cany horror could be faced \/ and become a poem<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n mjh’s blog \u2014 Lucky Dog<\/a> (8\/11\/09)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Lucky Dog died two years ago today, at 2:10pm. We miss him still, of course. I think we always will. He was a gift from the Universe and was with us during the very best times over 10 years. It was a bad year for dogs close to home: Shy (Joe), Gracie (Earl & Marcia), … Continue reading Grief is the Price of Love<\/span>