The majesty of dogs impresses us –

Their solitary solidarity –

Yet above their grey horizons

There is always the promise, lingering…

Of continuing.

These days an ending is assumed

That glorifies the story of our lives:

Making children, seeing things,

Listening to the waves wash the pebbles,

Overhearing our hearts’ desires.

Yesterday the sky darkened at noon

Seas spewed forth strange shapes

Clouds of misery engulfed us

All we knew, we forgot.

Now a pulse of re-creation

Lends itself to me,

And to you, and to you,

With all that good can do,

For this our lonely human heart.

Some say acts of kindness and of love
Become rarer day by day
That the keys of heaven are purchased by human blood
Love buried deep in the mire.

But God lends us time, it's true,
For all, for all that love can do.