Touch of the Net I've lost a friend I didn't know, The message came today, Propelled through wires at speed of light, From near or far away. A noble friend, of ancient blood, A staunch and mighty guard, A loving comfort, Hero spawn, Fair grist for any bard. He left behind a family And friends to mourn his death, She left behind a wash of tears, As she breathed her last breath. Computer networks span the globe And contact now is found With folks that we may never see But feel with touch profound. The dots of light on screen of glass Shape words of joy or pain, We teach and learn and share our lives And blessings deep we gain. So now I sit with sniffling nose And tears flow down my face, I share a loss and try to find Pure words of peace and grace. A dog has died, but more than that, A precious life has passed. We take them in, they bless our lives, Then leave us much too fast. God grant us peace and mem'ries long, Our short-lived friends to keep, In stories, images, and thoughts, To calm us as we weep. Now, lightning's brother, speed my words, Through fibers, disks, and such. May cold computer magic turn To caring, human touch. Bob Stewart 24 February 1998

For some time I was on a very active email list of mastiff enthusiasts. Many of us became well acquainted and occasionally someone would tell us of the loss of a dog. Such things touch me deeply. On one such occasion I wrote this poem.

Copyright © 2002 Bob Stewart. All rights reserved. Feedback to dreambard@bigplanet.com - Last changed 15 Apr 2002