Spark

A small, precious spark
Of life, breath only his, no other's,
Extinguished tonight
Surrounded by the anguish that is so
Inexplicable:
No father, mother, child, no
Human celebration knitting now
To everlasting,
No, it's
A small
Sweet loyal dog
Sent by loving human
Kin
Into that unknown place
Beyond the stars and tears.
We love them and they die too
Soon; we make that bargain with the
Universe:
You love us,
And when it's time
We will love you into
Your great quiet:
The silent leaping joy
Of chasing stick, bone, clod of earth,
The silent plunge into our laps,
Nestling, the unconditionally joyful
Greeting at each always new reunion
But of course, in the awful yawning,
Suspending hours, the liminal place of
Decision's dawn,
Motion slows
Into this silence;
The gaze of eyes, the trust to always
Say
I know
I know
The silence of the quiet house
With breathing now one short.
We let him go.
We made his choice,
And as with the all of our other
Precious beings
Who await him in that unknown there
The language of the love we have,
When translated, breathing soul to
Soul, was understood; it
Said
Help me leave, it's time.