It seemed like it had been more than a year,
since the day his home went up in a blaze.
His body was burned, where he had run too near,
his skin tight, and twisted into a maze.
He had lost those he had come to revere,
to the ashes, flame, and the smokey haze.
A golden age he could never forget,
lost to a single, burning cigarette.
His pain and depression both took their toll.
He hated himself for being alive.
The doctors claimed he was "out of control",
But despite it all, he began to thrive.
He denied it, but deep inside his soul,
there was something determined to survive.
His heart fell into a state of neglect,
for failing those he had sworn to protect.
Though time could never heal all of his pain,
his body did heal, and life did resume.
Cold winter snow turned into fresh spring rain,
he watched the days pass from inside his room.
Trapped in memory he seemed to remain,
as the days turned bright and the flowers bloomed.
Until the day that his door opened wide,
and let one bright smiling face step inside.
She took him in, and she made him her own,
she saw the ache, and she helped it to mend.
He saw in her a new hope, to atone,
and she saw inside him, a life long friend.
Though grief still lingered, he wasn't alone,
he had a new family to defend.
Into the sunlight, and out of the fog,
she scratched at his ears, and she said, "Good Dog".
Author notes
I don't know why, this of all subjects popped into my head .. but when I thought of learning to let love in, this is what I got.
His family died, and he did not, though he was burned and scarred from the flames. He threw himself into a deep depression at losing his family, and hated himself for not helping them .. but one person with enough love and patience helped to guide him back to happiness .. he didn't replace his family, but he learned to let love in after all his pain.
And, yes, he's a dog.
The form is Ottava Rima.
www.shadowpoetry.com
Comments
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OMG~~
When I first read this, I was like....He did not feel human for it reads so Brilliantly...You bring the reader there...one would assume a human~~
like he was the adult...possibly the one who smoked the cigarette...caused the fire in some way
but You took this and brought forth a Powerful message and exhaled emotions within each line!!
This is Gorgeous!!
Swelled the eyes and Man's Best Friend...A Gift
that some take for granted and assume they don't shed tears...but they sure do
I'm Honored to have read
Thank You!!
Loved this Beautiful!!
Rhyme flawless...the images will remain in my head until my head cannot carry anymore images
Thank You also for sharing Your Heart and Spirit~
Many blessings to You in all You do Sweet Soul
Best wishes too
and much love~ Desire~*~
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I intentionally left out the fact that he was a dog til the end .. I wanted people to get into the poem, and feel empathy for him as a unique soul in anguish, rather than just (as some people would) dismissing it because he wasn't human .. I figured, when I brought in the woman, that they would start to assume it was a romantic love that would help him through .. but it's the unswerving love and loyalty of close family, the bond between a dog, and those he guards and protects.
Also - I was reading a short story book called "Familiars", which probably inspired me! hehe
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