05/09/2026
~In Loving Memory of Jake~
When a Good Dog Becomes Light
Last night,
a new star rose
just above the treeline—
small, warm,
steady in a way
that felt familiar.
I knew it was you.
You were never the kind
to ask for notice,
never loud,
never grand—
just a soft heartbeat
moving beside mine
through the years.
But the sky has a way
of gathering the gentle ones,
lifting them
where their light
can finally be seen.
So now you shine
in the quiet hours,
a bright little ember
stitched into the dark,
guiding me home
the way you always did—
tail low,
eyes kind,
love glowing
without needing a name.
And when I miss you most,
I look up,
and there you are—
a new star
with an old soul,
still keeping watch.
By Lira Mayfield