How do you farewell the family member who’s been with you faithfully, happily, trustingly for over sixteen years? The girl who went from the Barossa to Gawler to Kimba to Port Pirie to Adelaide to England to Glenelg? I don’t know. But I tried.
we wanted no wedding attendants
as it was always just us three
within our happy cocoon.
photos on the beach, at the sepia tram and there’s
a special one of you in the rotunda
wearing a ribbon & your elegant gaze
our golden, wonderful bridesmaid
in the field behind our Lakes District cottage
we paused by some horses & there you were
suddenly zipping through the spring grass!
beneath the bemused mares
barking & bounding about
we laughed, how we laughed!
our loyal travel companion
a bright July day, your last afternoon
on the lounge, curled serenely, your hazel eyes
dusty sunlight streaming onto your fur
baby Max on Mummy’s knee, looking at you
& for the first time, he giggles & giggles
as if enjoying what we had loved for sixteen years.
i’m so grateful for this,
your final gift to us
our gentle, precious girl
thank you.
