Poems to Bring You Comfort
A DOG FOR JESUS
(Where dogs go when they die)
I wish someone had given Jesus a dog.
As loyal and loving as mine.
To sleep by His manger and gaze in His eyes
And adore Him for being divine.
As our Lord grew to manhood His faithful dog,
Would have followed Him all through the day.
While He preached to the crowds and made the sick well
And knelt in the garden to pray.
It is sad to remember that Christ went away.
To face death alone and apart.
With no tender dog following close behind,
To comfort its Master's Heart.
And when Jesus rose on that Easter morn,
How happy He would have been,
As His dog kissed His hand and barked it's delight,
For The One who died for all men.
Well, the Lord has a dog now, I just sent Him mine,
The old pal so dear to me.
And I smile through my tears on this first day alone,
Knowing they're in eternity.
Day after day, the whole day through,
Wherever my road inclined,
Four feet said, "Wait, I'm coming with you!"
And trotted along behind.
Rudyard Kipling
DO DOGS GO TO HEAVEN?
(Opus 4)
My little bully passed away, no more to breathe a
sound.
I held him for the last time, then entombed him in the ground.
Day and night I wept so much, in tears I thought I'd drown.
I searched my soul for comfort, but no peace therein was
found.
In great despair, I hit my knees and then began to
pray.
"Father will I ever see, my dog again someday?"
I raised my eyes and saw an angel standing near a gate.
I sensed an inner peace I'd never felt before that day.
The angel smiled and said to me, "Oh man of
little faith!
God sees every bird that falls; He knows your bully's fate.
I have met your little dog, I saw him pass my way.
Your precious dog is still alive; he just walked through this
gate.
Paradise is lovelier than you can comprehend.
No pain or grief, no tears or fears, and life will have no
end.
God gave to man His only Son, to cover all his sins.
So why would God withhold from you, your pure and loving
friend?”
The angel took me by the hand and said, "Now
come with me.
A glimpse of paradise I'll give, to you so you can see."
Through the gate and o'er the Rainbow Bridge we did proceed.
Through green valleys filled with flowers, rolling hills and
trees.
“Wow, so this is paradise!” The place
was filled with joy.
I saw my bully playing there, with dogs and cats and toys.
He also had some doggie treats, and food that he enjoyed.
He'd made a lot of new friends there, including girls and
boys.
Then I saw a child come near, and hug my little
mate.
She said to him, "I love you so," and kissed him on
the face.
The angel said, "The child just crossed the Rainbow
Bridge today.
Now she needs a little friend, to love and help her play.
God’s love for her would be enough, in that
make no mistake.
But in His love, He knew full well, the child would want a
mate.
This is why God called your dog unto this splendid place.
God’s entrusted her with him, ‘til you pass through
the gate."
I pleaded, “May I hug them both?!” The
angel answered, “No!
You’d violate a sacred site, and now it’s time to
go.”
He led me back across the Bridge and through the gate to home.
He left me there with new-found hope and peace within my soul.
If someone ever asks what happens to a dog that
dies,
Just give a gentle smile of joy and look them in the eye.
Take their hand and comfort them and tell them not to cry.
For dogs don’t die, they simply cross a bridge to
paradise.
By Dan Atcheson (5/2/00)
I REMEMBER
(In memory of beloved pets
who are gone, but not forgotten.)
I stood by your bed
last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying. You found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly
as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm
here."
I was close to you at
breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times your hands reached down
to me.
I was with you at the
shops today. Your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.
I was with you at my
grave today, You tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I'm not lying there.
I walked with you
towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said "It's me."
You looked so very
tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It's possible for me
to be so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."
You sat there very
quietly, then smiled, I think you knew...
in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over... I
smile and watch you yawning
and say "Good-night, God bless, I'll see you in the
morning."
And when the time is
right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.
I have so many things
to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out... then come home to be
with me.
- Author unknown
Contributed by Sylvia Zammit
IF CHRIST HAD A LITTLE DOG
I wonder if Christ had a little black dog
All curly and wooly like mine;
With two silky ears, and a nose round and wet,
and eyes brown and tender that shine.
I'm afraid that He hadn't, because I have read
How he prayed in the garden alone,
For all of his friends and disciples had fled,
Even Peter, the one called a 'stone'.
And oh, I am sure that that little black dog
With a heart so tender and warm,
Would never have left Him to suffer alone,
But, creeping right under His arm,
Would have licked those dear fingers in agony clasped,
And counting all favours but loss,
When they took Him away, would have trotted behind
And followed Him quite to the cross.
- Author unknown
Contributed by Sylvia Zammit