Member-only story
Goodbye, My Dear boy
My dog died, and I would like to share his story of life with you
“It is good warriors like us meet in this struggle of life …”
-Chief Ten Bears, scene Outlaw Josie Wales- pp.
Mykos was a special “puppy,” my dog, my friend. He was a warrior, survivor, and kind of a monster, but mostly, he was my hero and saved me.
I miss him.
Poems aren’t for everyone, so you may skip the one below if that is the case. Processing my pain began with poetic lines manifesting in my head, haunting and waking me up. Then I heard this Elliot Smith song, and a poem found its way to paper.
In his end days, I had to carry him up and down the stairs in our home. This was the only way to ensure he didn’t tumble down them, which he had started to do. His back legs had weakened that much. The early mornings were the hardest on our pack. Every night around two, I woke to whines of discomfort from Mykos. I would wake up and help him with various needs. I dont think I slept much for ninety days.
I never complained once. I tried quickly moving him out of the bedroom so the rest of the pack could sleep. It got to the point that I told my wife I would sleep downstairs with him; she said no.
