All Dogs Leave Too Soon

beautiful..
I do not know what I would do when mine are gone!!

Yea I know. Thanks for reading Doxie

What a beautiful tribute to such a kind,loving and loyal animal.It makes me think of our shepherd Kansas who died so many years ago.

Thank you Frances

Atticus -


/brilliant\

Thanks Ade. I appreciate it.

"All dogs leave too soon; and join the growing lines

of hieroglyphics, scrawled in the arcane tombs of our love."

These two lines are amazing...I am finding I want more to go with these two lines.

Hey thanks Ellen. I appreciate it very much. I'll think about the last line perhaps being unfulfilled. Thanks for the honest reaction. :-)

beautiful words and visually beautiful!

Thank you d d.

It's so true! What a sad fact of life that our most beloved friends have a much shorter natural lifespan than we do.

Indeed it is. Thanks Jennifer

lovely and filled with heart~

Thanks Purrrrrrrrrrr.

Aww..thank you so much, Atticus. This is so beautiful and such a loving tribute.

I'm glad you like it Cheryl

Yes, the longest lived breeds can live to about 12--15 years. Long enough to become firmly attached, but all too short when they're gone. I miss Lexy, my Samoyed.

So tenderly expressed.

Hey thanks John. So sorry for your loss.

I like the fresh juxtaposition of orchids and dogs...both forms of life with inherent beauty, vulnerability and temporary lives.
I agree with R. Ellen's comment.
And Love the shape.
Featured in Poet's Weekly Muse.

Jan, thank you so much for the thoughtful comment and the feature!

BTW - I got your e-mail. I'm sorry not to have responded. Just got busy (as hell). I didn't get the pictures you sent. I still have to reduce the file size in order to send any of them.

OH GOD ATTICUS, you do it every time. PLEASE PUBLISH A TOME. You rip my heart out.

Featured in the Triple Name Club.

Kathryn, you are always so kind. Thanks so much for the feature!

An instant favorite :)

wishing you laughter

Thank you so much Quinn

This was so incredible, Atticus.

Thank you Christina

Atticus, this was lovely. Like Jan, I deeply loved the juxtaposition of orchids with dogs; two species that are fiercely robust when adored and nurtured.

But I'm still stumbling and thinking over your last line! Why arcane tombs?

Andrea, Thanks - I wanted to get across a couple of things in the last line that go to the nature of the relationship between humans and dogs. In dog terms they become ancient history while we continue on. "Arcane" reinforces the inscrutability and abstruse nature of the love one person can have for an animal But also tries to face the fact that however deep it is, it is not the love one has for another human. It is something else. "Arcane" also because memory becomes a language increasingly less understandable and mysterious with the passage of time. The broad impact and meaning of events can become clearer, but the details seldom do. I also like the reference to Egypt not only in terms of the span of dog generations we are capable of experiencing but also because it brings to mind Anubis, the god of the dead. Although he was a Jackal and not a dog, he was in the family. (close enough for poetic license?)

The mind of a poet is arcane. Your comment is taken with mucho gusto.

Well done, Atticus! This is very similar to the construct I made in my poem "Egyptology." But what I was questioning was the use of the word "arcane," in reference to the "tombs of our love." I understand the nature of pulling something down on the ground level, so maybe my problem is the use of the word "arcane" to begin with. Never mind!

Hi Andrea, By "arcane" I mean recondite. Does that help?

Can you send me your poem? I would like to read it again.

I think it was just the phrase, Atticus! I love the word "recondite"! I must work that into a poem one day! (If I ever get around to writing another one!)
I will send Egyptology when I get home; it's no longer on Gather, since it's supposed to be published this fall!

Oh please do get around to writing another, and another, and another - I miss reading your poetry. Published where? Congratulations!

Beautiful, brilliant, and heartfelt! How do you do it, Atticus? I don't know what I'd do without my two fur babies.

Thank you so much Jenn. I'm so glad you like my little poem.

Your growing lines gently curve and expand for the love invested
in each flower, dog, word ....that you gift your heartvoice to nurture.
How gentle, sad, wise, attentive and beautifully expansive .......these shared breaths
that bring your hierogyphics back to cherish the lives that were so treasured, they needed to be inscribed for posterity.

Thank you for your very lovely comment Laura. I appreciate it very much.

a poet, an artist or a kind-hearted friend.You're all.Beautiful!

Thank you Bhawana

Just beautiful and so true. Very well put. I still miss Onslow, my 180 lb. Dane/Mastiff/Rottweiler mix who's been dead 3 years. He was my constant companion for 9 years, as I worked at home then. I was his 'person'. He went everywhere with me, we were never separated. He guarded me.

It is a gift to have such a companion.

I think all of our fellow travelers deserve an ode this beautiful. I wonder how many species will leave too soon and join the growing list of those we have loved?

Yes they do. And I wonder that too. Thank you so much Ann.

I love the poem, I am fortunate as I have a greenhouse and for some reason or other my orchids really thrive there. It must be the moisture.

Enthrallingly brilliant, Atticus! You have delivered a most insightful and powerful write, my friend. I have absolutely no critiques to offer. Tremendous and so very insightful!