A tribute to Biko

I wrote this farewell to Biko the day she passed peacefully away, after we shared sixteen wonderful years together. Click here to see Biko's home page all about her and the other cats in our life, which she wrote in 1999.

As I hold you in my arms
and lightly kiss your head
my thoughts fly back in time.

That eerie road in Wales
a bitter cold dark night
two hundred moons ago.

Dumped and left for dead
A wet, bedraggled soul
you came and shared my life.

Though others came and went
and friendships rose and fell
we always had each other.

But now the time has come
for us to say farewell
now you must pass alone.

The vet inserts the needle
your body gently slumps
and I feel my soul ripped out.

I kiss you one last time
as your spirit floats away
passing through the veil.

It used to be our home
but now it’s just my house
and all feels deathly quiet.

The catflap swings no more
and no persistent purr
to raise me from my bed.

No howls demanding food
no light weight on my lap
nor snoring by the fire.

There’s nought to see outside
the dusk is overcast
my eyes are filled with tears.

But when the skies have cleared
and time has numbed the pain
I’ll gaze up to heaven once more.

Stare up in wondrous awe
at trillions of stars
when I spot something new.

And then I’ll pause a while
not trillions, as I thought –
but trillions, plus one

 

In loving memory of my companion of sixteen years, Biko, who passed peacefully away 7 December 2002.

Site Map