The Curtain Call

Loolu our cocker spaniel died yesterday after 15 years and 5 months as a stalwart member of the family.  It was a miserable rainy afternoon as Marissa and I laid her to rest in the backyard, in a sheltered corner between the lilacs and the hibiscus.  We will miss her dearly.  She helped raise both our sons, shared lox with us every Sunday morning, was our companion on countless walks around the block and watched over us all and guarded our sleep.   Now it's time for us to return the many favors she bestowed upon us.

* * * * 

For Loolu I’m grieving

Tonight as she’s laying 

For the first time underneath

A few dozen shovelfuls

Of sodden earth

Wrapped in a sheet

That once adorned

The boys’ twin beds

A dog biscuit tossed

Into her open grave 

At the last moment

Only a few inches from

Her tender snout should

Keep her rooting about

At least half way

To eternity

After the first death

There is no other

As the famous poet

Once said refusing to mourn
But really I must take issue

Death is unrelenting

In its assault

It’s everywhere

Around us from

The mouse

In the glue trap

To Grandpa Pete

In his soiled sheets

Soon enough it

Will run the table

And break the house

We are all

The living heirs

Of death

Justly or not

We come into

Our inheritance

A moment too late

And now there’s nothing

To be done about it

Except to say goodnight

Sweet Loolu

Goodnight