I should not dare to leave my friend,
Because -- because if he should die
While I was gone, and I -- too late --
Should reach the heart that wanted me;

If I should disappoint the eyes
That hunted, hunted so, to see,
And could not bear to shut until
They "noticed" me -- they noticed me;

If I should stab the patient faith
So sure I 'd come -- so sure I 'd come,
It listening, listening, went to sleep
Telling my tardy name, --

My heart would wish it broke before,
Since breaking then, since breaking then,
Were useless as next morning's sun,
Where midnight frosts had lain!

Till the End by Emily Dickinson

I am thinking of you and your friend Kelly today. My prayers and thoughts are yours during this difficult time. Be strong and know that God will take care of you, both. I am so sorry for all that you have had to go through. Please remember, friends are here for you. Hugs. Jen

Thanks Jen and Kathryn, you are both very kind.

 Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.

"Grant them eternal rest, Lord, and may everlasting light shine upon them."

Deaths of Flowers


I would if I could choose
Age and die outwards as a tulip does;
Not as this iris drawing in, in-coiling
Its complex strange taut inflorescence, willing
Itself a bud again - though all achieved is
No more than a clenched sadness,

The tears of gum not flowing.
I would choose the tulips reckless way of going;
Whose petals answer light, altering by fractions
From closed to wide, from one through many perfections,
Til wreched, flamboyant, strayed beyond recall,
Like flakes of fire they piecemeal fall.


Edith Joy Scovell

For Kelly

JJ

My poem would eat nothing.
I tried giving it water
but it said no,
 
worrying me.
Day after day,
I held it up to the llight,
 
turning it over,
but it only pressed its lips
more tightly together.
 
It grew sullen, like a toad
through with being teased.
I offered it money,
 
my clothes, my car with a full tank.
But the poem stared at the floor.
Finally I cupped it in
 
my hands, and carried it gently
out into the soft air, into the
evening traffic, wondering how
 
to end things between us.
For now it had begun breathing,
putting on more and
 
more hard rings of flesh.
And the poem demanded the food,
it drank up all the water,
 
beat me and took my money,
tore the faded clothes
off my back,
 
said Shit,
and walked slowly away,
slicking its hair down.
 
Said it was going
over to your place.

(Larry Levis -- The Poem You Asked For)

Very cute Sky, I liked it!

For a couple days I have been searching for the right words for a somber occasion. These are some of the best I have found..

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

And what is to cease breathing , but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?

Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.

And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.

And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

Khalil Gibran

I love that quote.Here is a song I like by Pearl Jam, Oceans.

Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
Glide me towards...
You know somethings left
And were all allowed
To dream of the next oh, ohh the next,
Time we touch...

Oooh... (4x)

You dont have to stray
Tho oceans away
Waves roll in my thoughts
Hold tight the ring...
The sea will rise...
Please stand by the shore...
Oh, oh, oh, I will be...
I will be there once more...

Oooh... (4x)
Uh huh, oh yeah... (2x)

JJ

Here is a song that is not very easy to locate on the internet and it does pertain to dogs.

Austin Lounge Lizards The Dogs They Really Miss You Lyrics:
I know the day you left you said, "Let's never talk again
But I'm not calling for myself, I'm calling, for them
Our little ones who wait at home, heartbroken and upset
And though they don't remember much, they can't seem to forget

[Chorus 1:]
The dogs, they really miss you, they're different since you said goodbye
They brood, they pout, they feel put out, if they could speak, they'd tell you "Hi"
They're too down to play around, they've hardly touched their meals
The dogs, they really miss you, and I know just how they feel

[Bridge 1:]
Their tails won't wag, their hearts won't heal,
they blame themselves that you're a stray
They're sorry that you felt tied down, and never learned to stay
Molly's nose is warm and dry, since she sat and watched you pack
She figures that you must be lost, and can't find your way back

[Bridge 2:]
And scooter's just a basket case, he won't return my calls
His squeeky toy lies silent, he's lost interest in his balls

[Chorus 2:]
The dogs, they really miss you, they're not themselves since you're not here
They sleep al day, watch TV all night, they drink way too much beer
They've seen Old Yeller forty times, they bathe less than they should
The dogs, they've stopped their poker games, hoping you'll come home for good

[Tag:]
You know how they hate to beg, but the dogs are really blue
Because they really miss you, and you know that I do too, wa-wa-wa-ooooh

Someday the silver moon and I
Will go to dreamland.
I will close my eyes
And wake up there in dreamland
But tell me who will put flowers
On a flower's grave?
Who will say a prayer?

Will I meet a China rose there in dreamland?
Or does love lie bleeding in dreamland?
Are these days gone forever and always?

If we are to die tonight
Is there moonlight up ahead?
And if we are to die tonight,
Another rose will bloom
For a faded rose.
Will I be the one that you save?
I love it when it showers,
But no one puts flowers
On a flower's grave.

As one rose blooms another will die
It's always been that way.
I remember the showers,
But no one puts flowers
On a flower's grave.

If we are to die tonight
Is there moonlight up ahead?
I remember the showers,
But no one puts flowers
On a flower's grave,

A Tom Waits song

JJ

Thanks Chris, you are so kind. It will take some time to adjust but each day is better.

JJ

Thanks Charlee you are always so kind, the world could use a few more like you.

A dear friend asked me to look up the lyrics to a song and while it is not the genre I usually listen to, I loved the lyrics. A song by Rascal Flatts...

My Wish lyrics

I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,

But more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And you always give more than you take.

But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big

A very pretty song indeed.

Greg

Thanks Chanelle, I am not able to talk about it much yet but maybe soon.

JJ

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am meeting family and friends in Boston. It is a time for turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie etc. The wine will flow freely and we will all eat too much and doze in front of the tv during the football games. The economy is in turmoil but we may be on the right path again soon. I hope all of you and your pets are enjoying good health. It is one thing to be thankful for right now.

Things could be worse, you could be in Cleveland. (sorry for that quote).

Greg

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

So, is anybody going to let me know where this dog park is situated in Michigan, I have to go in Grand Rapids next week for a couple of days and would love for Bob to go to this park.

Anybody?

I am hoping to catch a late flight out tomorrow so I can be home for thanksgiving also. It is so good when you can show up with a pie or cake and not have to worry about all of the other things. That is what parents and aunts and uncles are for.

JJ