The Right Time

It was sudden,

In a few weeks,

My paws went numb,

And then my legs.

-

I dragged my knuckles over crackled pavements,

Trying to walk with you as always,

But I stumbled, yelped, and cried in such pain,

It made you cry - "Please make it," you begged.

-

No longer a happy word – my name,

Or even an angry one,

Just spoken in wailing whispers.

“Is this the right time?”

-

A big man hauled me onto a metal table,

It smelled of disinfectant and medications,

A sharp needle sunk into my front leg – slow and soft,

I fell asleep quickly, a blissful darkness.

-

"Please make it," you begged.

Waking up hurt – right down to my toes,

The man had done something big,

My neck shaved bottom and top,

How strange…

-

New pills, new diet, new body,

So many changes in this new life,

You keep making me do weird exercises,

How strange...

-

My neck stopped hurting one day,

And my toes felt so good against the grass,

I stop dragging my paws and start to bounce,

My name is a happy one again.

-

"You made it!"

A/N: So, my family dog had major spinal surgery! I have to admit, that was not on my 2023 bingo card but there we are. Cosmo is doing better than well - no complications, pain-free and recovering brilliantly!

Honestly, it is more of a job to keep him calm and make sure he doesn't hurt himself. Since he got his legs back, he's been wanting to use them to run, jump, climb, slide and everything else he isn't supposed to do for 4 more weeks!

There's no word that can describe what it's like to believe your dog is dying only to have him recover so well, but this short freeform poem goes some way to expressing my feelings and gratitude.

-TWW

P.S: He had a steak for being a good boy.

P.P.S: It may have been two steaks...