“It is no small gift” wrote the poet Mary Oliver about the joy a dog brings into our lives. .
Journal entry:
“It is no small gift” wrote the poet Mary Oliver about the joy a dog brings into our lives. In the week that we had to say goodbye to Penny, we remember the many gifts this timid lttle whirlwind brought into our lives and made them so much richer. We also explore why so many of us find grieving for a pet so difficult.
5th April, Tuesday
"The trees are still here;
Broken reflections crookedly oiling
the surface of the canal.
And the blackbird still sings
his river of song from his alder tower.
The sun, when it appears,
still shines its green spring warmth.
But I stand, incomplete, without a shadow...
No, that is not how it feels.
It’s is as if I have found that I am just a shadow, thin and grey,
cast adrift on the dried mud and fallen twigs.
No longer tethered to the warmth of a living soul."
Episode Information:
Please go to noswpod.com for photographs of Penny.
In this episode I read a couple of short extracts from Mary Oliver’s short essay ‘Dog Talk’ published in her book Dog Songs (2013 and 2021) published by Hachett UK.
I also refer to Guy Winch’s article ‘Why We Need to Take Pet Loss Seriously’ from the Scientific American (May, 2018).
For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters
You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com. It will also allow you to become more a part of the podcast and you can leave comments, offer suggestions, and reviews. You can even, if you want, leave me a voice mail by clicking on the microphone icon.
General Details
In the intro and the outro, Saint-Saen's The Swan is performed by Karr and B
Become a 'Lock-Wheeler'
Would you like to support this podcast by becoming a 'lock-wheeler' for Nighttime on Still Waters? Find out more: 'Lock-wheeling' for Nighttime on Still Waters.
Contact
I would love to hear from you. You can email me at nighttimeonstillwaters@gmail.com or drop me a line by going to the nowspod website and using either the contact form or, if you prefer, record your message by clicking on the microphone icon.
For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters
You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com.