Our communion last night
was pizza and chocolates
and trailing conversation,
a wide prairie for your memory
to bound through.
You settled into our center –
How we loved you,
how you made us laugh
and roll our eyes and
fake scold you,
how you took that bait
and we took yours,
how you will fill our center
again and again
on cherished, patient evenings
when we talk of childhood
and Christmases, beach days and
basketball on the patio,
how we will always
be glad it was you,
and no one else,
how we will always
welcome you back,
hearts relieved, swollen.
———
Another loss, hard in its own way, our beloved dog Sunny passed away two days ago.
I am unilaterally declaring 2017 the year of healing and renewal. It has been such a tough couple months and it seems like this blog has taken on the cast of a journal rather than whatever I intended (whatever that was). It’s nice have an optimistic plan, but I know another couple of big ones are coming.
Find your peace —
Poems from in between 
15 responses to “On losing Sunny”
Beautiful! Here’s to healing and renewal. I think we all could use a little of that in 2017.
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For sure! The end of 2016 felt like an obstacle course. Thanks for the support, Jill.
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A wonderful tribute to wonderful Sunny. There is nothing like a dog. Our furry friends/family seem to frame out phases of life… They grace the pieces with a depth of love, humor, and always show us what is really important in life… SO sorry for your loss. Here’s to 2017 – healing and renewal!
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Thanks, Doreen. Yes. Healing and renewal!
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Here’s to peace – peace of mind, peace of heart, peace – in the new year.
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Yay to your time with Sunny! I am terrible with loss and your poem made me cry. Here is to the unilateral declaration of a better year! Great writing.
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Thank you so much. I will borrow your enthusiasm today. Thank you.
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I woke up with this haiku…
True friendship is found
under a dawning Chi sky.
Two dogs; sniff-butts-dance.
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OMG. So funny. Someday, but not too soon …
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Yes – it will take time.
It took me a good three years to be able to look back at my dog, Dodger, who came before Missy, with only smiles. But even so, nearly 12 years later I still dream about her from time to time. I dream I find her somewhere and am overjoyed but also confused and sad. “Dodger, where have you been?”
Gosh, we just have to go through all of the emotions. Deep love and connection with our fur family brings deep feeling of loss when they leave. Eventually there will be only joy and laughter in the recollection of Sunny.
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Thank you, Doreen. This wise perspective is much appreciated.
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A lovely tribute, so heart-full. I especially loved “a wide prairie for your memory
to bound through”
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Yes. I liked that myself! And it seemed so fitting. Thanks much.
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i can empathize with your pain over the losses you have experienced. and certainly losing a beloved dog is a serious loss, as i well know. and i can also empathize with how a poetry blog can become something like a journal: we have to write about that which moves us. but at the same time this poem shows your writing skills, such as how a powerful closing can bring powerful closure. i wish you a happy new year, in spite of it all.
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You are so kind. Thank you. I wonder all the time why we write. And the answers change constantly. But I am grateful to have a way to express all the confusions of life. Thank you again for being a sympathetic and companionable blogger.
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