A Spade stands ready
Picked

My first poem here, one I’ve just finished, so still may have some tinkering. Bobby is our second springer; much loved, and still hanging in there, but he’s only heading one way: to the where mystery will be.


Main text of your writing.

    

          A spade stands ready.  

A spade stands – now ready beside the shed;

It’s cold January, and he’s not yet dead.

He may be lost, he may have forgotten,

what a dog should do – he’s not forsaken;

though his mind is aslant he’s always ours;

so, we shall watch and mind him in the hours,

and will now give him his longest day’s rest,

for he’s always given his very best.

He’ll soon pass on, and after all is said,

the spade stands – now ready beside the shed.

 

   (Bobby, Springer Spaniel – brain tumour)

 

                                                           D G Moody

 

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stormwolf

Brilliant title to start with. This captures the dark cold reality like the steel of the spade. No flowery overtones, just the cruel realisation of trying to prepare for the inevitable. so, we watch and mind him in the hours, and now let him have his long days rest; Boy, does this hit home. I am in the process of tending to my elderly cat ‘in the hours’…he’s just had 4 teeth out and is under the weather. I know I will have to face it sometime but he’s been with me these last traumatic 18 years in my walk… Read more »

stormwolf

I am also a retired nurse although latterly into alternative healing.
As the saying goes “Oh Lord, please transform me into the person my dog believes me to be”
Animals are such a blessing and teach us unconditional love. The knowledge of that,can hurt the heart.
Alison x

gee

Someone I love dearly is facing this now and it’s so hard. That watching and waiting to do the right thing for him – you’ve captured it perfectly here.

I see you mentioned Kipling in your comments. There's a poem of his that always touches me and it's called His Apologies. There's a line in that that reminds me of my responsibility to my dog - He has had none other God than Thee since the year that he was born
I hope Bobby continues to do well for as long as possible.