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| Flint showing his endlessly raised hind leg :-) |
Flint was a stray dog who came into our lives around 1994, no one knew his real age but a guestimate put him at about three or four years old. In 2001 we had to move from a wonderful rural location to rent a suburban house with a “no dogs” rule, here in Menai Bridge. When we last paid Flint a visit, something we rarely did as I found it too emotionally heart breaking, he looked very elderly and shaky, but was still happy to see us, giving us that enormous smile we knew so well. He was being really well cared for and was a very happy old doggie.
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| Me & Flint at our last meeting ever |
Last year I was asked to enter some poems into a children's poetry anthology being edited by Gaby Morgan from Pan Macmillan entitled “Puppy Poems” and naturally I wrote one about Flint! It was a real delight to hear it had been accepted, and I was subsequently paid for it – my first, hopefully of many, commissioned poems.
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| The book, Puppy Poems, containing my poem "Flint" |
Flint will always be in our hearts and we have fond memories of him from, at a time when my kids were just 'kids'. He was a typical Jack Russell, always had his head down some rabbit hole, or rolling in dirt, growling at nothing and smiling at everything.
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| A very old man, still happy to see us :-) |
This will be the first year I will not be sending him a Christmas card and doggie present and it feels strange and sad to know he has gone, but I know he had a good life and was dearly loved by those who knew him!
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| Saying Goodbye, beautiful Flint |
Whoever said “a dog is man’s best friend” was wrong! Flint was a friend to everyone - male and female!
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| Flint - gone but never forgotten |
Flint
Flint is as meek as a mouse but as brave as a
lion
He is as small as the hole he likes to climb
in.
Flint is as white as the snow but spotted
with dirt
He is as round as a ball but as slim as a
spear.
Flint is as hungry as the wolf but as sleepy
as a sloth
He is happy to kiss and lovely to
hold.
Flint is as slow as a clock but as fast as the
time
He is a guard dog at night and a kitten by
day.
Flint is a bear growling dog and a fish with
a grin
He will bark very loud and snore
every sleep.
Flint is a dog called Jack, but we don’t call him
that
He is my friend all the time and the best in
the world.
And I love him
because he is mine.
© Carol Mead 2010
I know exactly how you feel and this blog bought tears to my eyes. I have two jack russels a you know and dread the day that they die but Flint was a grand old age for a dog and well cared for obviously. lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteAwen xxxx
Such a lovely poem about Flint. Our pets are so much a part of our lives and nothing can make it easier when we lose them during their short lives on this Earth.
ReplyDeleteThank you Awen and Tam. I have always felt a sense of guilt having to let him go, but I had no choice. (I also had another dog called Freya, but didn't know the people who took her and have no idea where she is now :-() He has always been in our hearts and I have kept in touch with Anne since he went to live with her. I am actually going to see her today and it will be very hard not seeing him there. xxx
ReplyDeletehe will be missed! Rich!xx
ReplyDeletedeaar dear furry friends xx
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the wee chap. Remember him well from the old days in Pentraeth when we were all quite a bit younger! He must have been pretty advanced in doggy year.
ReplyDeleteThank you Anna :-) Yes Rohan, we were deffo all a bit younger, Flint must have been about 20ish when he died. Not a bad age eh! x
ReplyDelete