Of German Shepherds and Archangels

 

Someone once said that cats are angels in fur coats.
Any self-respecting cat I know would, like Dorothy Parker, "frow up"
if you told him that.

But it might be true of dogs.
Golden retrievers wear their heavenly robes for all to see,
Cocker spaniels have lovely wings that sweep the ground
And poodles, halos.

But you, my love--
when I look in your eyes,
Archangels look back:

Like the mighty Defender, Michael,
great spirit of Fire,
you rise up to protect me,
a living blade;
you burn away the darkness within,
the dangers without.

Like the mighty Healer, Raphael,
great spirit of the Air,
the wind of your joy
carries me beyond despair
into the far reaches of possibility,
the fields of inspiration.

Like the mighty Herald, Gabriel,
calm spirit of the Waters,
you watch me with deep madonna's eyes.
Your devotion quenches a long thirst,
like living water welling forth
across some parched and lonely land

Like mighty Uriel,
dark and tender spirit of Earth,
you show me the divine Light
beyond this shadowed path;
you walk beside me, a living example of
charitas and grace.

Sometimes you forget--
bound in fleshly form,
confounded by earthly restraints,
you sleep in quiescent beauty.
But then you wake,
with eternity in your eyes,
and bring me back to God.

J.L. Hardin
Nov, 1995