To Zoe
The love of my life,
Zoe, beautiful black Lab;
Exceptional girl,
More full of life, more divine
Than anyone I have known.
No one else knew you,
As Moses and I knew you.
You were his mother,
And my soul’s true companion
More than any I have known.
You had more courage,
More strong determination,
More self-confidence
Than any human being
I’ve ever known in this world.
You ruled by your love
And by intense faithfulness.
You whom I named Life,
In Greek, Zoé, not bios,
But true, noble, divine Life.
I can’t imagine
That any being is alive
Beyond death’s assault
If you are not forever
Alive in true, divine Life.
Zoe a goddess,
A creature overflowing
With divinity;
Hidden to human self-love,
To true love most visible .
I love you, Zoe,
Now and forever, unless
Death kills all loving
Making our lives meaningless
And having no fulfillment.
You brought God to me
Daily in devoted love,
Most gentle woman,
Carrier of Jesus Christ
To one who received your love.
Lord Byron was right:
How arrogant of Christians
To think only we--
We alone go into God,
Soulless animals perish.
Animals have souls,
Or why are they named for them?
Anima means soul,
And humans attuned to God
Recognize his real presence.
Not only in hosts,
Not only in priests and books,
But in real beings,
Animals alive with God
Often far more than we are.
28 January 2020 6th anniversary of Zoe’s death
Zoe, beautiful black Lab;
Exceptional girl,
More full of life, more divine
Than anyone I have known.
No one else knew you,
As Moses and I knew you.
You were his mother,
And my soul’s true companion
More than any I have known.
You had more courage,
More strong determination,
More self-confidence
Than any human being
I’ve ever known in this world.
You ruled by your love
And by intense faithfulness.
You whom I named Life,
In Greek, Zoé, not bios,
But true, noble, divine Life.
I can’t imagine
That any being is alive
Beyond death’s assault
If you are not forever
Alive in true, divine Life.
Zoe a goddess,
A creature overflowing
With divinity;
Hidden to human self-love,
To true love most visible .
I love you, Zoe,
Now and forever, unless
Death kills all loving
Making our lives meaningless
And having no fulfillment.
You brought God to me
Daily in devoted love,
Most gentle woman,
Carrier of Jesus Christ
To one who received your love.
Lord Byron was right:
How arrogant of Christians
To think only we--
We alone go into God,
Soulless animals perish.
Animals have souls,
Or why are they named for them?
Anima means soul,
And humans attuned to God
Recognize his real presence.
Not only in hosts,
Not only in priests and books,
But in real beings,
Animals alive with God
Often far more than we are.
28 January 2020 6th anniversary of Zoe’s death