January 24, 2021. Took a walk this afternoon with my aging and declining Labrador Buttercup. Walking with her is a great opportunity to reflect on recent triggers, and today I paused half-way to jot down the gist of this poem. I was triggered by today’s post from Ken Gierke whose poem Now was triggered by today’s post of Memorial by Ron. Lavalette. My thanks to both.
Ken Gierke @ https://rivrvlogr.com/2021/01/24/now-3/
Ron. Lavalette @ https://rlavalette.wordpress.com/2021/01/24/memorial/
stepsandpauses 
Beautiful, Jazz. 💛
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Thank you, Kelley.
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Wonderful! Thank so much for sharing your gifts!!!1
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Thank you, Lisa.
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Wonderful photo and poem, Jazz – brought back memories of my 2 Lab crosses! Love “suspending time” and “paws/pause”.
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Thank you, Lynne – today the sun’s out and my old lady Lab is acting frisky. Yahoo!
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Isn’t it wonderful knowing each moment has something to offer?
Recognizing that in the moment enhances its value as a memory.
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Ken, thank you for your post yesterday that tuned my focus to present moment. Each moment offers gifts, too often unnoticed as we scurry on. There’s value, too, in scurrying. But I really enjoyed yesterday’s “now”.
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❤
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That’s all we have isn’t it, Jazz. Together now. You remind me to cherish all my relationships – now. Thanks also for the links to the other two poems.
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Thank you, LuAnne.
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Exquisite, Jazz.
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Leah, thank you.
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Don’t know how I missed this until now, Jazz. Wonderful work. I esp like the heart-moments, lingering in the heart beyond any physical leash… Beautiful.
Write On.
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Thank you, Ron, for picking up on the deeper strands. Buttercup will be walking with me long after she’s transitioned to spirit-only.
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I would like to reflect back to you these lines,
together now in moments
that will linger in my heart
beyond any physical leash
This poem is a lovely description of the tug of love. It made me wonder if it was related to your son or loss in general.
Take care, my friend.
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Ali, that’s a good question. This poem is universal if one takes dog as metaphor for loved companion. I wrote this while walking the dog, essentially for the dog. But my sensitivity to how she’ll “stick around” even after death likely does reflect my experience with losing my son – still raw in my consciousness. In my son’s last few weeks he was a bit fixated on the “old dog” – asking a couple of times, “Which one of us will die first?” (We left it an open question.)
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That makes sense. I can see you reading the poem both ways. I like the idea of the dogs a metaphor.
I found writing poetry to be so helpful in processing my emotions. I hope it continues to support your journey.
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Lovely poem, Jazz — with a poignant foreshadowing.
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Betty, yes to that foreshadowing. She’s 13, and lifespan is ~14 for Labs. Dogs are not worriers, and I’m following her lead on that … to best of my mere-human ability.
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Ah, yes! Dogs do set good examples for us all.
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