Run free, sweet boy,

feel the wind

as it ruffles your fur.

Stand tall and majestic

on the bridge

as you cross beyond sight.

You were a son’s dream,

a loyal friend

wished for and come true,

perfect for your destiny

to become part of our family.

Young and vibrant,

full of life,

brilliant,

and beautifully bold,

your fire was dimmed

too soon,

and the darkness came on

before

we were ready.

But your light will stay strong

like stars in the night sky -

a steady presence,

constantly reminding

of an unbreakable bond

shared through cherished memories.

So go free, sweet boy,

move on to eternal peace,

play with the ones who’ve gone before.

Wait for the day

when again we will meet.

And until then,

love will always bring you home

to our hearts. 

You said that you'd remember and come for me,

And for the first few months, I had hope.

But as they slipped away,

It was harder not to get angry and impatient

As I waited for you and you never came.

You said that you'd remember, and come for me,

And for the first year, I had some hope.

You were my sister--

Why would you desert me and break a promise?

I waited for you and you never came.

You said that you'd remember, and come for me,

And for the first decade, I had a little hope.

You'd never lied to me before,

So why should it be any different?

But after twenty years, I realized you'd forgotten.

There was a time, when I was little and naive, and I thought I grow up and do something great. But I realized it would never happen.

All my life, I have lived in people's shadows.

Everyone always got better grades than me, wrote better reports, drew better pictures.

Someone learned to play the piano better than I could, and someone managed to climb trees better than I could. Someones took the niches I could have filled, pushing me out to sit in their shadows and cry.

Because no matter how tall I grow or how much I try, their shadows are always larger.

I keep telling myself I should just stop trying. But for some reason, I still keep trying, hoping that someday, somehow, I will be better than they are and finally step out into the light.

The long day slowly faded into dusky twilight, darkness deepening as night settled over the lonely mound where he lay. The little brown dog remained where he'd been told to stay, with only his ragged stuffed toy and favorite blanket for company. He wondered where his master had gone, and why he had left him here alone in this place so far away from home. Huffing sadly, he laid his head on his paws, ears up, hopeful, waiting anxiously to pick up the welcome sound of approaching footsteps and the call of a beloved voice. The evening was restless, and as dawn's light broke on the horizon, it became apparent that there would be no return from the master. The poor dog had been trained well, his loyalty unwavering, and he would not move from his spot, still believing that he needed to show his obedience the best he could so that he would be able to go home.

Serrated blade

sinks

deeply

into

soft surface,

teeth biting

jaggedly,

tearing unforgivingly,

slicing

fresh

bread.

Viola Plum has a sweet mum, or mommy may be how you say it. Viola's mum, gave her a guitar; hoping that she'd like to play it. She strummed and she strummed. She sang and she hummed. She danced, her music quite loud. Her mother, she smiled at her wild child, feeling particularly proud.

Copyright 2016 Angela Skaggs