2015/11/29

The Heaven of Animals (an excerpt)

With all of my heart, I believe it is true
that there is a heaven for animals, too.
 
Sometimes I think that they already know,
all of the animals ... just where they'll go.
 
Haven't you noticed them drift off and stare,
lift their soft noses, and gave into air?
 
I think that maybe it's heaven they see ...
beyond what their wishes
could wish it to be.
 
When dogs get to heaven
they're welcomed by name,
 
and angels know every dog's
favorite game.
 
They race to the corners of
heaven and back,
 
and everyone gets a turn
leading the pack.
 
When kitties arrive on their soft kitty paws
they are even more lovely to look at because
when they bathe up in heaven, their fur is so fine -
they stretch out their toes and just let themselves shine.
 
They perch on a limb of their very own tree.
It is amazing how far they can see.
 
Then they play and they purr, and they yawn and they nap
in their own ray of light in their favorite lap.
 
Horses in heaven are never alone,
and grass is much sweeter than
grass here at home.
 
Whenever they want to, horses
can snack; as soon as they nibble,
grass grows itself back.
 
Sometimes a horse just wants to have fun,
so he and his friends kick their hooves up and run.
 
When it is thundering high in the sky,
horses in heaven are galloping by.
 
Days often end
in fantastical hues -
marmalade oranges ...
butterfly blues.
 
Sometimes at twilight,
in indigo skies,
animals gather
to play with fireflies.
 
Sometimes they dance
with the angels, or sing.
 
Heaven changes everything.
 
But the love that you have for your animal friends
is always the same - that love never ends.
 
It makes itself known in all kinds of ways.
It floats all around then, or settles and stays.
And when angels whisper in animals ears,
it is your voice that each animal hears.
 
You'll grow older; I will, too.
That's what people always do.
 
But when you meet your friends again,
they'll see you as they saw you then.
 
And you'll find they always knew
how much they were loved ...
 
and how much they loved you.
 
(Nancy Tillman; taken from the book The Heaven of Animals”)

 
*****
 
I would like to thank Nancy Tillman (http://www.nancytillman.com/) for her kind permission to publish her writing on my blog. It’s possible to order the book here.)

No comments:

Post a Comment