I found you pacing in a cage, eyes of magic topaz.
You found me looking for a simple heart impervious to my flaws.
We found this love that knows no human tongue –
Words too trifling to express it.

You lingered on through troubled days, the little liger by my side,
Fire spirit burning bright to light the course on stormy waters.
Wandering off to chase the moths and birds among the grass and weeds,
You never stayed to long afield before your journeys brought you home

Saying:
I command this love.
Be here right now.
Lie down beside me.
Stare straight through me to my core
The golden thread that locks our gaze,
In sacred knots to bind our pride.

For one last time the fire cat rejoins the flame that lit the glow
Behind his golden eyes.
The warmth within his lion heart reached to touch the golden sunlight
Of the early summer evening –
Then let his breath, his heat go out to fill the vacuum of the sky –
The boundless space, the resting place for restless travelers’ hearty spirits,
Out to stalk the setting sun with a final whispered wish:
“Remember.”

Dzambala
b. 3/2004
d. 6/25/2011



(Explanation of the Dzambala Thigle above: A bit of Dzambala's cremated remains are fused into the glass outlining the Tibetan character "dza", the first sound in his name and that of his namesake (the Tibetan wealth deity). I chose the colors to suggest a sunset or flame passing into evening sky in resonance with this poem)

Hi, Chris, thank you so much for re-posting this beautiful tribute to your beloved Dzamabla. I hope life is treating you kindly, Chris, and look forward to sharing your memories of your beloved Dzambala.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hi Chris,

What a wonderful tribute to your beloved Dzambala. He was a handsome fellow! I hope that this week treats you well and brings you wonderful memories of your precious Dzambala.

Much love.

Cinder's Mama

Hey ChrisL, Still a beautiful poem and glass tribute, but you changed the title?! I liked Panegyric... thanks for-re posting with pics Leejaye

Hi Chris,

I echo leejaye's comment, even if I did have to Google "pangyric". Once I understood what it meant I found it very fitting. What a fantastic tribute to your baby.

Shelby

Hey Shelby, I looked it up too!!

Panegyric...the thing I probably labor over the most when I write a poem (or it's title) is whether or not to use those really "big words". Is it going to sound classy and noble, or just pretentious and egghead-y. When I re-posted, just at that moment I leaned to the latter on panegyric... but now that you mentioned it, it is actually more accurate to the tone of the poem. I don't think the forum has a function to edit topic titles, but you can pretend that it is still the old title if you prefer.

BTW, I learned it from a British crime thriller I saw last year called Red Riding 1974...

Hi Chris,

I for one enjoy the longer words. Sometimes they say things with an eloquence that would be lost if every word was only one syllable.

Shelby

Hey Chris, I agree with Shelby, it's not being eggheaded, merely a precision of meaning - sorry to hijack your thread! Leejaye

What a beautiful poem! I was just reading through some of the posts on this forum on the 1-year angel-versary of my beloved Aziza's transition. I was really moved by your poetic representation of Dzambala's transition. Thank you for sharing it!!