I authored this poem in another version for a niece of mine who lost a pet. I altered it for publishing, so my niece holds the private version, and this is for anyone else who may have experienced loss and goodbye (human or pets).
“To have loved and lost
Is better to have not loved”
I searched this morning,
To find the origin,
Of these words.
I discovered, a poet wrote it,
After the loss of a friend.
Today I rewrite,
A poem written for a niece,
For I see a person, in my neighbourhood,
They and their pet in pain.
The pain on their face, as we have a fleeting conversation,
One of unable to say goodbye.
After the loss of a pet (in my life),
Of which there have been a few,
Through an accident (sudden),
Through natural ageing,
Then there's taking a pet,
To the vet,
To say goodbye.
No matter the loss,
It cuts very deep.
It's loss of the hope,
We hold on to,
For them to survive.
This illness they had,
Our optimism, spiritual feelings,
Could not save,
This furry love,
From living long,
Especially when,
Still a young one.
In suffering a loss,
Occasionally looking up into the sky,
Staring at the cloud formations,
All different shapes and sizes,
Sometimes am surprised to see,
When least expecting it,
Loved one lost, as a shape in the sky,
Looking down with a smile.
Our pets are family,
They may leave the physical,
Their memory lives,
In our hearts forever.
A peace invoking belief of mine,
Pets leave us to play in their afterlife.
With all the ones,
Loved and gone before them.
Exchanging stories with those gone before,
On the great life lived,
Their human parents
Showered them with
Unconditional love.
Gone but never forgotten – all those loved and lost – pets and humans.
Re-write: 19-Oct-2026
Published: First time here (edited the original before publishing)
Linda G Thorpe
PS:
I am conscious as I finish this ready for publication, there are pets and humans who do not live as privileged a life as some others. What stories do they take to the afterlife? What gratitude, in amongst their hardships on earth, will they convey to those they meet?
Source:
“To have loved and lost than never to have loved at all” in my search of the internet.
https://interestingliterature.com/2021/01/better-loved-lost-than-never-loved-origin-meaning/ ‘
