Tabitha Poem by Alison Campbell

Memorial poem for a beloved rat.

Your final breath
Breathes winter’s icy chill
Into this heart of mine
Still beating.
Eyes flame of hope
Burns low with weeping.

Where is your living now?
Searching the empty pain of loss
I find you waiting
In every flash of midnight eyes
From shadows watching.

Mother of all my dreams…
My dreams with expectation
Growing.

Memories dance and play
Within this empty space
That is your leaving,
And I am wondering
Just who owned who?

I search the time
Of our belonging
As hopes flame grows,

And find you…

In my hearts remembering
In every graceful turn
And silent wandering,
Bin-raiding,
Fostering,
Mothering
In every friendly lick
Love growing.

You owned my heart
Each soft, soft footfall
Planted gently there
My heart yours for the breaking.
And in that yielding
I know your life was mine
For celebrating.

(Nov 2003)