Holly and the Rainbow Bridge

Katherine and Holly

When I was in Vermont, I learned that Katherine Peacock, a Farnival contributor, lost her soul mate Holly a.k.a. Super Hero Holly. Katherine means the world to me because she’s the person that taught me how to be a pacl leader. And Katherine learned the necessity of leading a pack because of her dog Holly. In a six- degrees-of-separation kind-of-way, Holly’s one of the germinating seeds for the Farnival.

Last year, I lost my own soul mate Miss Annie Daisy. The one thing that alleviated that first week’s overwhelming grief was reading this poem. I had never read the Rainbow Bridge before Annie died. I don’t know why but it helps, if only for a second. There are many versions of this poem, but I like the one below best. We love you, Katherine Peacock.

The Rainbow Bridge

By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill

Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.

Where the friends of man and woman do run,

When their time on earth is over and done.

For here, between this world and the next,

Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.

On this golden land, they wait and they play.

Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.

No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,

For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.

Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,

Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.

They romp through the grass, without even a care,

Until one day they stop, and sniff at the air.

All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,

Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.

For just at that instant, their eyes have met,

Together again, both [human and dog.]

So they run to each other, these friends from long past,

The time of their parting is over at last.

The sadness they felt while they were apart,

Has turned into joy once more in each heart.

They embrace with a love that will last forever,

And then, side-by-side, they cross over…together.