Losing a dog can be a gut wrenching experience. KNAU listener Amy Ashley knows that. She lost 2 dogs in less than 2 years, and the pain was so great, she thought she’d never adopt again. But along came Brutus, a young Rottweiler mix in need of rescue. When Amy met him - just a few days ago - she knew that rescuing Brutus would also allow Brutus to rescue her from a broken heart. In this week’s installment of Poetry Friday, we meet Brutus inside the Timberline Tavern – a dog-friendly bar in Flagstaff where Amy is a bartender. She reads for us the poem Rescue Me Please.
AA: Brutus! Hi, Buddy. Come here. So, this is Brutus. I’ve actually had him for about 48 hours now. He is my most current rescue dog. He’s actually come into my life just a couple months after I lost my second rescue. His name was Sturgill. He was an absolute love, 116 pound black lab mix. I lost my dog Lucy in 2018 – my first rescue – and had friends contact me with pictures of black lab mix puppies in wagons! I was like, ‘Why are you doing this to me?’ But, it turned out to be fate, and I knew immediately that he was mine.
So, Sturgill only lived to be about a year and 7 months. He had a heart murmur. I loved that dog so much. Mostly because he taught me that it was ok to love another dog as much as you loved your first love. So, Sturgill taught me how to love again. And losing him was really hard. It created almost a fear of having another dog again.
I’ve had a lot of people contact me since I lost my last dog; we have this puppy, or we have this dog, or there’s this dog at this rescue…and I just didn’t feel it in my heart. But then when Brutus came in the other day – it was a quick meeting – and I knew immediately he was going to be my dog.
So, I’m going to read a poem called Rescue Me Please. The author is unknown. I think I connected with it mostly because rescuing is a two-way street. So, yeah. Here’s Rescue Me Please.
Rescue me not only with your hands
but with your heart as well.
I will respond to you.
Rescue me not out of pity
but out of love.
I will love you back.
Rescue me not with self-righteousness
but with compassion.
I will learn what you teach.
Rescue me not because of my past
but because of my future.
I will relax and enjoy.
Rescue me not simply to save me
but to give me a new life.
I will appreciate your gift.
Rescue me not only with a firm hand
but with tolerance and patience.
I will please you.
Rescue me not only because of who I am
but who I'm to become.
I will grow and mature.
Rescue me not to revere yourself to others
but because you want me.
I will never let you down.
Rescue me not with a hidden agenda
but with a desire to teach me to trust.
I will be loyal and true.
Rescue me not to be chained or to fight
but to be your companion.
I will stand by your side.
Rescue me not to replace one you've lost
but to soothe your spirit.
I will cherish you.
Rescue me not to be your pet
but to be your friend.
I will give you unconditional love.
Please Rescue Me!
Poetry Friday is produced by KNAU's Gillian Ferris. If you have an idea for a segment, drop her an email at Gillian.Ferris@nau.edu.
