Poem: "The Bridge of Mist"
Mar. 22nd, 2026 09:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis 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.
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.
