Poem: "The Bridge of Mist"

[ysabetwordsmith]

This poem came out of the March 17, 2026 Bonus Fishbowl. It was inspired and sponsored by librarygeek for Gwinnie, a pit bull mix and a good dog. It belongs to the series Polychrome Heroics.

Warning: This poem features impending animal death of natural causes. HANKIE WARNING.


"The Bridge of Mist"


It was one of those calls.

Senna hated them, but
she always went anyway,
because she was needed.

The dog was old, at least
twelve years, but she had
been adopted, so that
was an educated guess.

Her dark coat had faded
to pewter, and she was
too tired to move much,
but her eyes watched
the door anyway.

"Her name is Shadow,"
said Katherine. "She
has cancer. I just wanted ...
a friend told me about you."

"I have Animal Communication,
not Healing," Senna reminded.
"I can talk with Shadow, but
I can't fix what's wrong."

She crouched down
by the fluffy dog bed
and held out her hand.

Hello, Shadow. My name
is Senna, she sent. I've
come to talk with you.

One gray ear flicked,
and Shadow sniffed.
Hi. Talk. Tired.

Well, you're very sick,
and it won't get better,
said Senna. Katherine
wants to know if you hurt.

No. Just tired, Shadow said.
Do you smell Rusty? I do.

"Who is Rusty?" said Senna.

"Her brother," Katherine said.
"He passed away last year."

"She can smell him now,"
said Senna. "It won't be long."

Katherine burst into tears
and bolted into the bathroom.

Senna sighed. She understood.
She always wound up crying too.
But this wasn't about her or Katherine.

Do you want to go with Rusty?
Senna asked Shadow.

Not today. Soon,
said Shadow.

There's a place
where you can go --
Senna began.

The Bridge of Mist,
said Shadow. I can
smell it already, so many
different smells, like riding
in a car with the window down.

Yes, said Senna. You and
Rusty can wait there for Katherine.

Love her, Shadow replied.
Sit. Stay. Good dogs.

That was all Senna needed.
She got up and waited for
Katherine to come out.

"Shadow knows that
she's dying. Nothing hurts,
she's just tired," said Senna.
"She knows you love her,
and she loves you too."

"Thank you," Katherine said,
her voice rough with tears.

Then Senna ducked into
the bathroom and had
a good long cry herself.

* * *

Notes:

Senna Norton was introduced in "Eyes Turned Skyward."

Human lore speaks of the Rainbow Bridge, which reunites people and pets after both have died. However, most animals have a different sensory experience than humans, and few can see in color. So to dogs, it is the Bridge of Mist, with bands of different scents.

Comments

Rainbow Bridge

[mdlbear]

I love this poem, and the idea that the Bridge would be different for dogs. (It also made me cry, of course.)

The provenance of the Rainbow Bridge poem was discovered in 2023; it was written in 1953 by Edna Clyne-Rekhy. There's more on Wikipedia.

[freyjaw]

Thanks for the warning. The onion ninjas attacked as soon as my screen malfunctioned and went blurry. Lovely poem.

[siliconshaman]

Senna could do with some shamantic training..which includes components of grief counselling really even though it wasn't called that at the time.

I like the fact that you considered what the Rainbow bridge would look like to Shadow, with different senses.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Senna could do with some shamantic training..which includes components of grief counselling really even though it wasn't called that at the time.<<

Likely so.

>> I like the fact that you considered what the Rainbow bridge would look like to Shadow, with different senses.<<

:D Dogs live in a whole different world, even walking beside humans.

Re: Thoughts

[siliconshaman]

As do cats.. we're only just learning they can feel magnetic fields through their whiskers (crystals of magnesite at the base of the vibrissae.) Which are probably sensitive enough to detect bio-magnetic fields. A hunting adaptation probably, but also useful for navigation I'd bet.

And I can't even begin to imagine what the world looks like to a mantis shrimp!! I mean, we have three colour receptors..they have 15!!! And polarizing filters built in! As for what electro-receptors must be like in their sensorium... wild!

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> As do cats.. we're only just learning they can feel magnetic fields through their whiskers (crystals of magnesite at the base of the vibrissae.) Which are probably sensitive enough to detect bio-magnetic fields. <<

I just jumped up to grab a magnet and try it on my whiskers. I might feel something? But only at point-blank range, so not very useful.

>> A hunting adaptation probably, but also useful for navigation I'd bet.<<

Logical. I have nearly no sense of navigation though.

>>And I can't even begin to imagine what the world looks like to a mantis shrimp!! I mean, we have three colour receptors..they have 15!!! And polarizing filters built in! As for what electro-receptors must be like in their sensorium... wild! <<

*envy*

Onion ninjas!

[dialecticdreamer]

They attacked here, too. Took out the last quarter of the LAST box of kleenex in the house. SO, I mopped up with plain old bog roll, insulting the ninjas all the while.

It's still a beautiful work, in part BECAUSE of the deep reaction.

Re: Onion ninjas!

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> They attacked here, too. Took out the last quarter of the LAST box of kleenex in the house. SO, I mopped up with plain old bog roll, insulting the ninjas all the while. <<

I love that term too.

>> It's still a beautiful work, in part BECAUSE of the deep reaction.<<

I'm glad you found it so moving.

I figure it's useful to have a few pieces of writing that earn their hankie, for times when someone needs to cry but has trouble getting started.

[gs_silva]

Such a peaceful passing. That's really sweet.

Thank you!

[ysabetwordsmith]

I'm glad you found it moving.

[librarygeek]

Gwinnie had a peaceful passing with all her human family on Wednesday May 20. She didn't want to get up for a walk, she refused her ice cream cup for lunch. So, it was time. Even her vet knew her well enough to know she had cozy sweaters and hand sewn kimonos from us. I miss her.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

My sympathies.