A Bond of Spirit

A bond of spirit, not of rope or claim,
Two souls reflecting, a devoted flame.

They are not "property," no title I own.
They are not "son or daughter," though they are the only love I've known.

They are not "dogs," a word too small and weak.
They are my friends, who hear the thoughts I cannot speak.

The door stands open, the world is wide and free,
But they remain, and choose only me.

My living mirror, my comfort in the grey.
They saw the void, the sorrow, and the shame,
and stayed beside me when I was numb and lame.

They are the reason I still play the game,
A debt I carry, a sacred, living aim.

I was their anchor, they were my steady frame,
My highest honor, whispered in their name.

I would extinguish, to shield them from the flame,
He would do the same, and that is why they came
and why I now stand alone in the dark and rain.