I was cleaning out my archives and found an email someone had sent me November 16th, 2001. (Yes, I'm a packrat!) It's very sweet. Read on:

Lend Me a Pup

I will lend to you for awhile,
a pup, God said,
For you to love her while she lives
and mourn for her when she's dead.
Maybe for twelve or fourteen years,
or maybe two or three
But will you, 'till I call her back,
take care of her for me?

She'll bring her charms to gladden you
and (should her stay be brief)
you'll always have her memories
as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise she will stay,
since all from earth return,
But there are lessons taught below
I want this pup to learn.

I've looked the whole world over
in search of teachers true
And from the folk that crowds life's land
I have chosen you.
Now will you give her all your love?
Not think the labor vain?
Nor hate me when I come to take,
my Pup back home again?

I fancied that I heard them say
"Dear Lord Thy Will be Done,
For all the joys this Pup will bring,
the risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter her with tenderness
we'll love her while we may
And for the happiness we've known,
forever grateful stay.
But should you call her back
much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes,
and try to understand.
If, by our love, we've managed,
your wishes to achieve,
in memory of her we loved,
to help us while we grieve,
when our faithful bundle departs this world of strife,
We'll have yet another Pup and love her all her life."

-author unknown

Wow. That was really a touching poem, Laney. Thank you for sharing that. Did you lose a pet back then, or was it just providence that you recieved it then and just found it at this point in time?

I love that. It's crossed my path a few times and its always welcome.

Thanks for posting it. It's taken me over some mountains of grief. The words are so sweet and so true.

Sharon

Laney, That poem pulls on my heart strings. Absolutly touching! Thank you for sharing it with us. k9pal

I hadn't lost a pet at the time (2001). But I loved the poem and thought it was sweet so I archived it. Usually any kind of email that someone sends about pets, I keep.

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Love Trish

Thank you so much Laney. What a beautiful poem. I know what you mean about keeping such things. I remember the first time I read the Rainbow Bridge poem was in a Dear Abby column when I was a teenager. I didn't have a sick pet at the time but I cut out the column anyway & kept it in my wallet for so many years.....it became yellow & tattered but just knowing it was there made me feel better, because I always knew someday I would need it.

Well, I'm in tears now, but they're good tears. What a beautiful poem. Thanks, Laney!

-- Michelle K.