The rescue

She sat alone, a shadow of life, 

Bound by the weight of her endless strife.

Days bled together in a silent haze, 

A prisoner of her mind’s cruel maze. 

Her heart was heavy, her spirit torn, 

A garden of hope left barren and worn.

The world moved on, but she stayed still, 

Lost in the echo of her own will.

Then he appeared, fragile and small, 

A stray in the shelter, unseen by all. 

His eyes told a story of hunger and fear, 

Yet in them she saw a reflection clear. 

She signed her name, took him home, 

Two souls together, no longer alone. 

And though she believed she’d saved his life,

She never expected he’d end her strife.

His paws on her lap, his head on her knee,

A calm she’d forgotten washed over the sea

Of chaos that churned inside her chest, 

A whisper of peace, a moment of rest.

Each morning now brought his eager face, 

Tail wagging, erasing the empty space. 

His presence a balm for the ache in her soul. 

Filling the cracks, making her whole.

When panic would rise, a storm in her veins,

He’d nuzzle her gently, dissolving the chains

With every bark, every playful plea,

He taught her the beauty of simply “to be.”

She thought she had saved him, pulled him from despair,

But he saved her more with his steadfast care.

For in his devotion, his love so pure,  

She found a salvation she couldn’t procure.

Now they walk together, through sunshine and rain, 

Two hearts mended, no longer in pain. 

A bond unspoken, yet clear to see –

She rescued him, but he set her free.