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| Rooney- May 27- 8 weeks old |
I have to confess, I haven't written, or even read, a lot of poetry this summer. My summer has pretty much been consumed by Rooney, the yellow lab puppy I picked up at the airport on May 26th. Rooney actually belongs to Canine Partners of the Rockies. The organization raises dogs for people with mobility challenges- multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, quadriplegia, etc. I've been volunteering for the organization for about two years, and my principal finally gave the go ahead for me to raise a puppy. I needed my principal's approval because one of the requirements of raising a service puppy is that he goes everywhere, including work, with me.
Since May, we pretty much have gone everywhere together- end of year field trips, professional development, swimming, out to eat, and even to a Rockies game. Every day, though, there is a tiny bit of bittersweet, because every day, I remind myself that Rooney isn't mine, and in two years, this sweet, sweet guy, who has totally stolen my heart, will leave my life to become a huge part of someone else's life. I treasure each and every minute, but I also know that this is a temporary situation
For my poem today, I decided to revise a poem I wrote in April.
"I Will Love You Well"
I will wipe up puppy puddles,
wake when you whimper,
walk you several times a day.
I will love you well.
I will teach you sit and down and stay,
buy toys and treats, play tug of war,
save your baby teeth in a special box.
I will love you well.
I will know your tickle spots,
let you give me slobbery kisses.
pull your lanky body into my lap when there's thunder.
I will love you well.
And then someday, I will hand your leash
to another, and turn my back,
and walk away.
I will love you well,
but you won't be mine.
(C) Carol Wilcox, 2019
Since May, we pretty much have gone everywhere together- end of year field trips, professional development, swimming, out to eat, and even to a Rockies game. Every day, though, there is a tiny bit of bittersweet, because every day, I remind myself that Rooney isn't mine, and in two years, this sweet, sweet guy, who has totally stolen my heart, will leave my life to become a huge part of someone else's life. I treasure each and every minute, but I also know that this is a temporary situation
For my poem today, I decided to revise a poem I wrote in April.
"I Will Love You Well"
I will wipe up puppy puddles,
wake when you whimper,
walk you several times a day.
I will love you well.
I will teach you sit and down and stay,
buy toys and treats, play tug of war,
save your baby teeth in a special box.
I will love you well.
I will know your tickle spots,
let you give me slobbery kisses.
pull your lanky body into my lap when there's thunder.
I will love you well.
And then someday, I will hand your leash
to another, and turn my back,
and walk away.
I will love you well,
but you won't be mine.
(C) Carol Wilcox, 2019
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| Colorado Rockies Game- 10 weeks |
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| Scholastic Reading Summit- June 27- 12 weeks |
Oh, my goodness.....bittersweet indeed. I cannot imagine how wonderful and how difficult that job is. I hope you write more about your experiences. Such love for the dog and the future beneficiary is heroic in my eyes. Thank you for the love you are giving to our world in this experience! The line about holding the lanky body during thunder. Yup. That's true dog-mama love, right there. All the time you aren't writing -- it's just material collection. No worries! Thanks so much for hosting this week.
ReplyDeleteI'm sharing another book review of a poetry collection.
oooops! forgot to leave my link --https://awordedgewiselindamitchell.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteCarol - what a beautiful, roomy heart you have. And what a lucky Rooney, to be socialized in your loving home. Such a generous gift, to her, to her future human partner, and to the world. Thanks for sharing the heart-catching poem, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm in with a light look at my current state this week, another boot and crutches! http://www.robynhoodblack.com/blog/posts/34487
I was hoping for puppy pictures! What a sweetie! What a work of the heart it is to raise and train him!
ReplyDeleteI found some fun poetry toys at nErDCampMI last week, so I'm playing around with poetry!
http://readingyear.blogspot.com/2019/07/poetry-friday-playing-with-poetry.html
Thanks for hosting us!
A wonderful project! Such a gift you are creating and living. I have thought about a service dog for my older daughter.
ReplyDeleteMy post this week shares a poem from the point of view of a WWI motorcycle: https://tabathayeatts.blogspot.com/
Thanks for hosting!
Thank you for hosting today, Carol, and for sharing this sweet poem for a sweet puppy. Raising a service dog is such a labor of love! Today I have a poem inspired by a prompt from Laurel Snyder and a vivid memory:
ReplyDeletehttps://readingtothecore.wordpress.com/2019/07/18/poetry-friday-july-20-1969/
What a sweetheart! It's no wonder you will "love him well," Carol. How could you not??? At Today's Little Ditty, I'm sharing more found haiku and the biography about Joni Mitchell that I used to create mine. https://michellehbarnes.blogspot.com/2019/07/a-joni-mitchell-reprise-in-time-i-would.html Thanks so much for hosting this week!
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful puppy love! Love the photos too!
ReplyDeleteMy post is an "extra" poem by Kip Wilson from her novel in verse, WHITE ROSE, along with the back story to go with it.
https://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/2019/07/extra-extra.html
Carol, thanks for hosting! I can completely identify with this poem, as we foster numerous rescue dogs while they await their furever homes...a lot of work, but so satisfying.
ReplyDeleteOops, forgot to leave my link! Another poem inspired by our visit to Quechee Gorge, just over the border in VT: https://wp.me/p2DEY3-2du (goes live shortly after midnight)
ReplyDeleteHi Rooney! Thank you so much, Carol, for your willingness to raise him and help him help others in turn!
ReplyDeleteI posted lyrics at my blog, Bildungsroman:
https://slayground.livejournal.com/892527.html
Oh, I do love the pictures, Carol. He looks very sweet and I hope we can meet sometime! You are wonderful to do this special thing for someone. Yes, bittersweet, but sending your love into the world. I'm sharing a swap today that I wrote for someone: https://www.teacherdance.org/2019/07/friday-fun-poetry-swapping.html Thanks much for hosting!
ReplyDeleteWhat an adorable and loving puppy you have Carol, and how lucky for Rooney to have you to begin his life with. I think your refrain, "I will love you well" works perfectly in your poem and this situation–lovely. Thanks for hosting the Roundup!
ReplyDeleteI have a poem and art about "Perseverance, pausing, and painting: https://moreart4all.wordpress.com/2019/07/18/poetry-friday-perseverance/
What a lovely squishy golden smoosh! Enjoy him, Carol. Though I feel your heart on the goodbye thing...
ReplyDeleteToday on the blog I start to unpack an enriching weekend of professional development and networking at the recent CYA Conference. One blog post up. More to come... :)
Always helpful to include the link... https://katswhiskers.wordpress.com/2019/07/19/cya-2019-bootcamp-notes
ReplyDeleteI love that repeated refrain, "I will love you well." I have a close friend who raised a service dog, and I know the experience was wonderful for them. In her case, "her" dog ultimately flunked out (couldn't resist squirrels-- though she was a champ at everything else!) and ended up coming back to live with them. Wilma now goes to high school every day with my friend (who is Dean of Students) and is a much loved therapy dog. Her picture's even in the school year book! Who knows where your and Rooney's journey will take you! Thanks so much for hosting this week. I'm in with my rambling journey to a poem called "Shifting Focus". https://nixthecomfortzone.com/2019/07/19/shifting-focus-2/
ReplyDeleteVery touching. I can feel the love...
ReplyDeleteCarol - what a gift you are giving the world! Rooney is a beauty, and it is clear you are living this poem...so beautiful! I'm sharing a sneak peek of a new poetry book FINDING TREASURE by Michelle Schaub (coming from Charlesbridge in September). https://irenelatham.blogspot.com/2019/07/sneak-peek-finding-treasure-by-michelle.html
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting and for sharing about Rooney! ALL our relationships are temporary, aren't they? Even though we fool ourselves into thinking they aren't... great reminder to love as hard as we can whenever we can. xo
Awwww...Rooney is adorable! And you are phenomenal to offer such a gift by raising him and then generously sharing him with someone else. You may not have as much time to read and write, but you are living a poem this summer. Thank you! And thank you for hosting today.
ReplyDeleteMy poem today was written for my daughter and celebrates the research she has done through her college years with bacteriophage--some of nature's fiercest warriors: http://kaymcgriff.edublogs.org/2019/07/19/poetry-friday-natures-ninjas/
Carol, there is a lot of puppy love in your post today! Thanks for hosting and being such a great temporary Mommy for Rooney. He's adorable and your poem shares your dedication to loving and caring for Rooney until he moves on.
ReplyDeleteToday, I am talking again about being in the creativity zone. It is a happening place for me as I spent this week creating digitals, designing a swap for Linda Baie, and commenting on the amazing arrangement of virtual blossoms from Kentucky that Ruth Hersey sent me for the Summer Poetry Swap #1. https://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2019/07/being-in-creativity-zone.html
You are loving him well. It's like parenting, in a way. We love them well to pass them on to be loved by someone else. The love never dies.
ReplyDeleteI am celebrating the kindness and talent of Michelle Kogan with a beautiful watercolor and poem about the anhinga bird. https://reflectionsontheteche.com/2019/07/19/poetry-friday-anhinga-beauty/
I'm sharing a song today: https://thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com/2019/07/poetry-friday-heres-to-you.html
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting! And thanks for your selfless love for a dog!
Tears in the early morning...Beautiful thoughts and actions...you are amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing the roundup this week! At Wild Rose Reader, I've posted five original moon poems and a rocket poem in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.
ReplyDeletehttp://wildrosereader.blogspot.com/2019/07/moon-poems-rocket-poem.html
Your puppy is just adorable. I can't imagine having to hand him off after loving him for two years! Thanks for hosting, and for sharing your poem and the photographs!
ReplyDeleteHere is the link for my post today.
https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2019/07/poetry-friday-july-19-2019.html
Oh, we have a gathering of Rooney's fan club today. I love the pics and seeing him grow up before our eyes, week by week. I know he'll be a loved presence in your classroom in the fall. I'm sharing a new favorite book of train poems that grandson Jack and I discovered.
ReplyDeletehttps://pleasuresfromthepage.blogspot.com/2019/07/slice-of-life-train-thoughts.html
Hi, Carol--you and Rooney look deeply happy together. Thank you for hosting! My post is up late and I'm pondering on the coincidence of the Moonwalk Anniversary and this weekend's climate related heatwave.
ReplyDeletehttps://myjuicylittleuniverse.blogspot.com/2019/07/moonwalk-vs-heatwave.html
Yes, you are loving that puppy well. What a sweet poem. Thank you for loving and training Rooney to help others, and thank you for hosting this week.
ReplyDeleteOh Rooney, your are a lucky dog to have Carol raising you. Thanks for hosting, Carol. I am sharing Mary Lee's triolet. Received from the Summer Poetry Swap: https://deowriter.wordpress.com/2019/07/19/poetry-friday-poetry-swap/
ReplyDeleteCarol, I love your poem and that you did a revision and Rooney is full of so much hope and love. I really enjoyed reading about your work together. I'm glad to be back to Poetry Friday with a new book - informational poetry about dinosaurs.
ReplyDeletehttp://enjoy-embracelearning.blogspot.com/2019/07/in-past-by-david-elliott-poetry-friday.html
Carol, your poem is lovely. And it takes a big heart and a lot of courage to raise a puppy for someone else!
ReplyDeleteToday I wrote about the bindweed I've seen growing everywhere--and the reflections it sparked about my inner bindweed:
https://www.soulblossomliving.com/bindweed-the-flower-who-loved-too-much/poetry/
What wonderful work you're doing, Carol! And your poem expresses the bittersweetness so poignantly. Thanks so much for sharing both your words and pictures!
ReplyDelete