Pet Memorial Poems

You Are My World

for my feathered babies

you are my world

my reason to

emerge on my darkest days

to smile on my brighter days

you still inspire me

every single day of my life

I love you

and you will always be

my babies

my life

my world

For Pets Loved and Lost

they taught me

teach me

so much daily

more than I

can ever

hope to express

humility

gentleness

kindness

pure love

they made me

make me smile

they made me

make me cry

each bereavement

was

and is

just that

each bereavement

so much too much

simply too much

grief

Brief Song

for Klaus

looking at a photograph now

remembering

your sweet brief song

such sunny days

enjoyed on "borrowed time"

each day a gift

a miracle

to cherish forever

to truly appreciate

Jimi's Community of Feathered Angels

It was all built around you:

This community of feathered angels.

Our beautiful yellow-face blue -

Reunited finally with Madge,

And with Donna.

Sweet Jimi, we will always love you,

Miss you,

Honour you.

You are still at the centre –

The heart –

Of this community of feathered angels.

Jimi, Eric, Don

mostly written on 23/08/10, the day on which our budgie Jimi died - finished on 24/08/10

To write poems for Jimi, Eric or Don –

That would make this real - my sweet birds really gone.

The pain would overwhelm me. I’d be destroyed.

What passes for my “life” would become devoid

Of meaning. Yet, I must go through the motions.

I need to block out all of my emotions –

Apparently – but I’m not sure that I can,

Not this time – not again. This is much more than

I can bear. Or accept.

Treasured Friends

written on 19/07/10

Just lost Eric the star finch – treasured friend.

Our oldest resident budgie

has hurt her foot.

Tell me: Will these sorrows never end?

Will Jimi budgie mend?

There are so few people – so very few –

on whom I can depend,

but I have all these birds:

such treasured friends.

To See the Vet Today

In loving memory of Linda the cockatiel (-16/06/10)

She did not want to go

To see the vet today.

She chose her quiet time,

To gently slip away.

Darling Linda, you were loved.

You are loved.

We must now place you in a little box –

Rather than the little traveling cage –

And take you to see the vet today.

Janis

In loving memory of Janis the budgie (- May 2010)

Sweet Janis, all my happy words are blocked,

and yet you were a happy little bird.

I owe you more than this depressive state,

in which I now reside.

You never gave up chirping, flying,

climbing, preening, eating.

Sweet Janis, you taught me so much. I love you.

Essence

In loving memory of Essence budgie (2009 – 30/04/10)

Essence, stay forever in my heart.

I don’t know how to just move on.

I need to fall apart.

I am shutting out a hostile world,

full of people who don’t understand,

and most of whom don’t care.

Sweet Essence, I love you so much –

and I will keep you save forever,

in my heart.

Deenie

In loving memory of Deenie budgie (2009 – April 2010)

You left so soon, my little one.

Was there more that I could have done?

I only pray that you had fun,

here with us, so briefly.

Four precious months, we had you here.

Now, darling Deenie, you have gone.

You left so soon, my little one.

Not The End

In loving memory of Apple the linnie, (2005 - 11/09)

Apple, I love you –

what can I say?

Sweet, gentle parakeet,

I love you so much –

and I lost you yesterday.

And Sparkey the budgie lost his closest friend.

Yet, now you are in Heaven,

along with Pear.

That is my only comfort:

the certainty that this is

not the end,

the vague hope that, in time,

my shattered heart will mend.

Davy

In loving memory of Davy budgie (2006 - 08/09/09)

I see you daily,

in Jimi's flights -

in Debbie's smiles.

You took one final - your ultimate -

vertical, upward flight,

in true "Davy-style":

Heaven-bound.

Pete

In loving memory of Pete the zebra finch (-29/08/09)

“This chestnut-flanked white will never make a show bird.”

I feel blessed

to appreciate what the

so-called “experts” cannot:

your sweetness, your Pete-ness,

your purity, your patience,

and your joy upon entering

each fresh day.

Your lack of feathers

make me love you more.

And so it is time now

to say, “Goodbye.”

Thank you for sharing, Pete.

Thank you for reaching me,

teaching me –

being a friend.

Right on Cue

Bridge Centre = Basingstoke CMHT (Community Mental Health Team)

RIP Davy (July 2006 – 08/09/09) and Pete (DOB unknown - 29/08/09)

Just buried a sweet little zebra finch named Pete.

This morning, budgie Davy

lost his battle, too –

and the Bridge Centre have cancelled

my appointment,

right on cue.

And magick failed,

and prayers did, too.

I am broken –

lost for words –

and the Bridge Centre have cancelled,

right on cue.

Emerald Light

Dedicated to Emerald (“Emmy”) the budgie, who passed away on 13/11/06, and is still missed every day

Angels protect us;

Guide us;

Align us

With the divine.

Here and now, I visualise

Raphael’s healing emerald light,

Feeling safe in the knowledge

That angels are

Protecting me.

Little Lehi

In loving memory of Lehi, the Bengalese/Society finch (-25/05/09)

One who lived her life so quietly and gently –

she slipped beyond this life

in quite a similar style.

If I close my eyes

and visualise

you, my lovely little Lehi –

can I have you back with me,

if only for a little while?

Amos

In loving memory of Amos the canary (-22/01/09)

A seed dish awaits you in Heaven.

Yet, Amos, I don’t want to say, “Goodbye.”

When your music stopped,

I knew that something was wrong.

I could never forget you. I don’t want to try.

Greyscale Angel

In loving memory of Bert the budgie (2006 – 17/12/08)

My greyscale angel –

without you,

there will always be an empty space.

A beauty, a humility –

your gentle bravery, to the end –

which can never be replaced.

You’ve been husband, brother, parent,

within your immediate family.

To me, you will always be my baby.

I held you in my hands –

felt your heart beat a few times, rapidly –

then cease.

My darling greyscale angel,

my darling Bert –

one final energetic flight,

and now you will forever

Rest in Peace.

Part of God's Great Plan?

I cannot watch his suffering in silence,

and yet I can’t not.

It is hard to witness one so innocent,

so kind, so pure, in pain – again – and still believe

in God, gods, goddesses, angels,

any sort of Higher Power –

and still believe that the source of Higher Power

necessarily always has

our best interests at heart.

Merri

In loving memory of Merri the Bengalese finch (2004-29/11/08)

Merri by name and merry by nature

Sweet angel in shades of chestnut and white

So suddenly

Too suddenly

Gone

In my heart’s eye, you will always be

A cheeky little escapee

Perched on the top of that cupboard,

On that picture frame,

On the curtain rail – such a popular

Choice with all of you birds

Merri by name and merry by nature

You remain so alive in my heart

Lineolated Angel

In loving memory of Pear the linnie (2005-02/07/08)

We’d four new finches. All was well.

Then sudden panic – living Hell.

The horror turns into despair.

I can’t believe we’ve lost you, Pear.

I prayed for you, but you still died.

I felt my prayers had been denied.

Apple’s alone now – so unfair.

Just can’t believe we’ve lost you, Pear.

I miss you every single day.

The pain will never go away.

Your spirit’s with me everywhere.

Still can’t believe we’ve lost you, Pear.

It’s Apple’s strength that gives me hope.

For Apple’s sake, I have to cope.

This feels like more than I can bear.

I’ll always love you, darling Pear.