A Moment in the Woods: January 2018

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Hoping She Never Went Away

I owned a cat who loved to roam

She'd run and hide and jump and play

But one sad night it all went wrong.

I called and called for her come
And get some food without delay
Hoping she wasn't really gone.

Before this cat was even grown

We grew to love her funny ways

But one sad night it all went wrong.

For weeks, I sobbed and cried alone

Missing my friend who did not stay
Hoping she wasn't really gone.

We looked for her around our home

We searched the forest and prayed and prayed

Trying to right the night gone wrong.

She's been gone for far too long

I wish that I could hear her song

But one sad night it all went wrong

It's hard to believe she's really gone.

When you first lose someone, you cannot believe they are gone from this earth. I remember feeling this way when I lost my Mom. Sometimes it never completely goes away, although our logical mind accepts reality.

I wrote this week's poem about my sweet kitty, Shiloh, who went missing eighteen months ago. We still don't know what happened to her, despite a massive search effort.

Her name means "peace," and she truly brought peace into our home. Her best friend, Grey Eye, misses her, too. The pain felt fresh today when my Google Photos feed brought pictures up of her from two years ago.

I know true animal lovers will understand the ache of missing a furred friend. This poem is for the animal lovers and for the grieving today. My prayers go out tonight for anyone who can't believe their loved one is really gone.

This week's piece is written in the villanelle form and is meant to almost like a haunting melody that repeats itself. I first ran across this form of poetry in university, loved it, and thought it would be appropriate for my feelings about Shiloh, which I can never truly go away.

All photos are originals taken by the author and are fully copyrighted.

Love Sharilee. Hey thanks so much for reading. I would love to hear your comments and input in the space below. Also, if you like what you are reading, sign up through my Facebook page. or receive posts by e-mail by joining here

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Winter Comes

Winter comes, even

When we are not ready

A cruel shock

After summer's

Delights.

Winter comes overnight
An unwanted guest
With white robes and
An unfriendly
Tone.

Winter comes at the end
Of life's cycle

A time of rest before

Another season of growth

Begins.

Winter comes without fail
To each of us
We can learn her
Stern lessons or resent her
Cold ways.

Winter comes with a
Promise: clean snow
Covering each branch and inch
Offering redemption.
A fresh start.

Winter comes and is followed
By spring, summer, fall
It won't last forever
So succumb to its
Thrall.

As a Canadian enduring the third month of another long winter, I wrote this poem about the mixed emotions this season brings up in me. Thanks so much for reading and I would delight in hearing your comments (or verses!) below.

All photos were taken by the author and are fully copyrighted.