They lie together, taking up a corner of the bed,
Witnesses to life and death and everything in between.
The Llama is the bearer of patience and patients.
It drew together a community of life’s players,
diverse, particular, distant, together in the ether.
They imagine worlds into being
and simulate possibilities.
Llama’s team has character and values...
their own version of the ten commandments!
Little fluffy llamas perch above the bed,
overlooking our restful scene.
Larger cousins now live further north,
present with not-so-little boys.
The one staring at me displays the blue and red earrings,
signifying premiership wins and proud coaching achievements.
It was birthed in prayer and it’s middle names are comfort and love.
It has a button arsehole!
(See - you can laugh through the tears!)
It’s companion comes from a much older line -
The Velveteen Rabbit has been a constant nursing aide.
Radox baths, physio-tape strapping, arthroscopies, tonsils, chicken pox,
aches and pains, shingles, pneumonia,
lung cancer, brain cancer, gall stones, kidney stones, bladder cancer...
What does it take to make a rabbit real?
How much loving and how much loss of stuffing?
The rabbit has travelled lightly,
hopping into carryons, backpacks
and stuffing itself into pockets of suitcases.
Lately, it always seemed to have one foot
in a packing cube that doubled as a Go bag...
Better than one foot in the dirt!
When the body wears out, and love remains,
Reality hits...
I’m glad the rabbit and the llama have each other.
signifying premiership wins and proud coaching achievements.
It was birthed in prayer and it’s middle names are comfort and love.
It has a button arsehole!
(See - you can laugh through the tears!)
It’s companion comes from a much older line -
The Velveteen Rabbit has been a constant nursing aide.
Radox baths, physio-tape strapping, arthroscopies, tonsils, chicken pox,
aches and pains, shingles, pneumonia,
lung cancer, brain cancer, gall stones, kidney stones, bladder cancer...
What does it take to make a rabbit real?
How much loving and how much loss of stuffing?
The rabbit has travelled lightly,
hopping into carryons, backpacks
and stuffing itself into pockets of suitcases.
Lately, it always seemed to have one foot
in a packing cube that doubled as a Go bag...
Better than one foot in the dirt!
When the body wears out, and love remains,
Reality hits...
I’m glad the rabbit and the llama have each other.
I was deeply moved as I read this with its warm blend of a really tough reality of loss and the gentle comfort and whimsical presence of the knitted animals. It gives us a generous glimpse of your unique musings and can also take us to a place of appreciating the many favourite and well worn symbols of love in our midst.
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