Rubin

February 28, 2007 – December 30, 2021

On the day before your last, we will head to the woods

Smell the fermentation of earth and water

burrow our noses in the moss

and balance walk along the trees felled by the last winter storm

On the day before your last, the ocean will call to us

and you will chase gulls and oyster catchers

roll yourself in the wet salty sand

and smile when the ocean spray lifts your ears

On the day before your last, we will swim in the lake

Racing along the shore we’ll play

A game of fetch in the shallows

and brave a long swim to retrieve your favorite toy

On the day before your last, we will eat popcorn and ham

Delight in the game of catch the kernels 

Bark at the meat still left in the package

and rub our faces on the carpet in ecstasy 

On the day before your last, we will run zoomies

Around the backyard, stopping to play-bow,

A wild look in our eyes

While we bark at the crows mockingly perched on the fence

On the day before your last, we will remember all your friends

the humans and the canines,

who played with us, ate with us, and stayed with us

some still here, but many, now gone

On the day before your last, we will ride in the truck

You sitting shotgun, proud and content

and roll down the windows

to watch the world, your world drift by

On the day before your last, we will climb that mountain again

Your tail swaying with each 

switchback until we reach the 

vista of remembering and sigh, long and deep

On the day before your last, we will going skiing

And you will race ahead barking for no reason

your curls covered in snow 

Unwilling to let the day end

On the day before your last, you will not age

You will be suspended in time

Youthful and playful, determined and stubborn

Goofy and charming, impatient and loving

And on the last day, we will hold you in our arms,

Thank you for filing our hearts every moment of every hour,

For your devotion and your trust and 

Our almost 15 long, short years together

And on the last day, when you’ve finally let go

we will walk you to the shore and send you out to sea

And tomorrow the waves will wash you back to us

Again and again and again