Chasing Rainbows

This is a story I wrote in poem form soon after we got our first dog. He inspired me because of the rainbows he used to play with around the house. You’ll understand once you read it.

Chasing Rainbows
by Lori (L. Virelli)

Once there was a girl I knew
and many things she had.
A blessed life is what she led,
yet she was always sad.

When Sarah was a little girl
a baby doll was her desire.
She prayed, begged and pleaded for the toy
and it didn’t take long to acquire.

Very little time went by
before Sarah became bored,
and she tossed aside the doll
that she had once adored.

The doll was long forgotten
because something else occupied her mind.
Sarah grew a little older
and it was a new dress she hoped to find.

Her new gown she wore to the prom
for all her friends to see,
but inside she did not feel good.
Nothing brought her glee.

She never wore the dress again
but it was just as well,
because Sarah reached adulthood
and on a new goal she did dwell.

Sarah hoped to find a husband
and searched for a while,
keeping faith in the notion
that marriage would make her smile.

She found a man to marry
and propelled into plans for a wedding.
When it was over,
again, her heart began fretting.

What in the world was she to do
to fill her empty heart with joy?
Sadness lived within each day
until she came up with another ploy.

She adopted a cute little puppy
that turned out to be messy and wild.
The pet did not fill her need,
because lots of work had he compiled.

She had to think of another thing
and didn’t know what it would take.
Then, an idea came to mind;
a baby she would make.

This took some time
and Sarah continued to feel sad,
completely unaware of her dog, Bear,
chasing rainbows floppy and glad.

In the room a sunny window prism
caused rainbow-colored lights to dance.
Sarah didn’t notice Bear lick them playfully,
or dive on top of them with a prance.

Every day Bear found another rainbow light,
while Sarah kept longing for joy.
Finally, happiness was on the way
when she became pregnant with a boy.

The new baby kept her busy
as she attended him with loving care,
still not noticing the rainbow colors
that were licked each day by Bear.

Hard work started to overcome any happiness,
so Sarah tried again.
this time she had a baby girl,
but the joy lasted even shorter then.

Too serious and busy for thoughts of play,
Sarah didn’t notice Bear’s bright eyes,
time flew by and her children grew older,
becoming more independent and mobilized.

With the kids at school and out with friends,
the sadness in her heart returned.
She wallowed in a deep, dark pit
and for Bear she was unconcerned.

Overwhelmed with grief,
Sarah wouldn’t even get out of bed.
Then one day she finally climbed out
and moped around in her robe like the dead.

Sarah sat at the kitchen table
drinking coffee, head hung low.
Bear lagged behind,
his old body dragging in tow.

She witnessed the dog lick the floor
and was sickened by the sight.
She scolded him for the nasty deed
not seeing the rainbow light.

Sarah lifted her cup for a sip
and her shadow caused the prism light to move.
This time when he chased it,
she saw what gave him his groove.

There on the kitchen floor
she recognized the light aglow.
Sarah moved her arm on purpose,
and played with Bear to-and-fro.

For the first time she uttered a genuine laugh.
Bear was old but he could still play.
They frolicked together for quite a while;
his good cheer finally rubbed off on her that day.

Bear was chasing rainbows
and never once seemed to care,
that no matter how hard he tried,
the flickering lights he could not ensnare.

All along, Sarah,
chased rainbows of her own,
and every time she caught one
all she did was whine and moan.

A joy filled heart is a state of mind
and old Bear knew it all along.
Happiness did not come from outside,
but flowed inside like a song.

From that day forward
Sarah reveled in life’s chase.
She took old Bear’s advice that day
and now her life has grace.