CAVALIERS
Jesse
He is silken:
all lustrous curls andstrands
of black and white
and tan;
and his one eye
so black and shining
you don’t notice
that he has only that one.
He is like the Persian carpet,
whose one flaw reminds us
that even the most beautiful
are more beautiful
for their imperfection.
Figaro
Look into his eyes
and remember
that the most beautiful eyes
are so often the saddest.
He has reason enough to be sad,
this dog who until now had no real home.
Now he rests easy
in the warmth of the last,
and best, home he will know.
Izzy
Named for a terrible story,
for the son Abraham was prepared
to sacrifice to a cruel and fearsome god.
He will not forget
that he was to be sacrificed
for human folly.
He forgives slowly,
trusts only the one
who earned his love
through the sheer power of her heart.
Hailey
She is purely red,
and purely good.
She trots with stubborn grace
along the quiet road, and
every step, every breath
tells her story:
of love for her world,
for her animal companions,
for the woman who saved her.
Avery
He is the spirit of autumn,
this red and white dog
with feathery body and tail,
long legs,
head held high.
He hurries along the road
stopping to bury his face
in this year’s crisp leaves
and last year’s delicious
composted ones.
He hears every sound,
every skittering creature,
every branch trembling in the wind.
The leaves fall around him,
offerings to a prince.
Rebecca Taksel – true friend, author and poet
9/23/2015