Goodbye Monty

Monty passed away on Friday morning.
In my hands, as I petted him and told him how much we loved him and that it was all right. My little love went, and we are left bereft, without him.

This is a poem by Rabindranath Tagore. For my Mon mon.

Peace, my heart, let the time for
the parting be sweet.

Let it not be a death but completeness.

Let love melt into memory and pain into songs.

Let the flight through the night sky end
in the folding of the wings
over the nest.

Let the last touch of your hands be gentle,
like the flower of the night.

Stand still, O Beautiful End, for a moment,
and say your last words in silence.

I bow to you and hold up my lamp
to light you on your way.

I didn't read this poem to him, but I held him, and loved him, and sang him a song about how he came to live with us, and how gorgeous he is, and all the yummy things he's eaten, and all the funny and great things he did... then he started gasping, hard, then slower. I held him and told him it was going to be all right and I love him and slowly, he went. And I know I will miss him all my life.

Here are two videos, taken recently, of Monty enjoying his favourite activity - getting his cheeks scratched.





He was such a sweetie, my Monty.