{"items":["5fda42fedbd75f0017120924","5fda42fedbd75f0017120921","5fda42fedbd75f0017120920","5fda42fedbd75f001712091d","5fda42fedbd75f001712091f","5fda42fedbd75f001712091c","5fda42fedbd75f001712091b","5fda42fedbd75f001712091e"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"max","cubeRatio":1.7777777777777777,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":30,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":0,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"rotatingScatter":"","chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":0,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCropRatios":"","columnWidths":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":0,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":true,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":["SHOW_ON_THE_LEFT","SHOW_BELOW"],"galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":0,"scrollDuration":400,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":26,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":75,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"jsonStyleParams":"","gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":292,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"itemBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_12","value":"rgba(206,206,206,0)"},"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":2,"calculateTextBoxHeightMode":"MANUAL","targetItemSize":292,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|max|true|0|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":true,"externalInfoHeight":26,"externalInfoWidth":0.75},"container":{"width":169,"galleryWidth":169,"galleryHeight":0,"scrollBase":0,"height":null}}
Boo
This poem was my first poem. It is very sentimental and emotional to myself and daughter being it’s about Bob Quarles and his dog which was named Boo. Bob Quarles was my daughter’s husband and he committed suicide after a lengthy illness.
I was visiting my daughter, Dawn, in Pensacola Florida and staying with her. My daughter lived in this turn of the century house in the historical district. It was sort of a row house with antebellum ceilings and hard oak wood floors.
My daughter surrendered her bed being the model host and I retired to bed. I was awakened in the middle of the night by her dog, Boo, pacing around the house on the hardwood floors, his nails making a lot of noise. I knew it was the dog but I was intrigued by what he was about in his restlessness.
Boo was the family pet. He had been found abandoned and rescued by my daughter. He was of a questionable ancestry which we all made guesses as to. He was jet black and lovable and my grandson’s first dog.
My daughter’s husband, Bob, took him dove and duck hunting and he was the consummate squirrel chaser. My daughter’s husband became sick with a degenerate disease called “Still’s Disease” and after years of tests and medical procedures decided he didn’t want to live that way and took his own life by committing suicide. I can understand it but was troubled in that it causes so much heartache for those that survive him, namely my grandson and daughter not to mention his parents and family.
I created the poem out of an inspiration as to the thoughts of Boo, their dog. I was a grown man in their house and I think it stirred Boo’s recollection of his master. I believe Boo was restless because I was there and it's plausible that he remembered and became fretful that something wasn’t right and I wasn’t the man that was supposed to be there.
Boo is now also passed and was of an old age of 14. He was replaced by one of my dog’s litter, which are yellow labs. My grandson’s new dog is named Scout. Boo is buried in the back yard of a new home in Pace, Florida
Boo Dog
By Thomas Gregory Moore, May, 2012
From the realm of dreams I wake
One breathless breath I dare to take
As from a coffin I seem to stare
In ebony darkness I am aware!
Strange sounds now tickle my fear
Impatient pacing I appear to hear
Canine nails on hardwood floors
Incessant clicking on oaken boards
From a palisade of pillows I peer
At wolvine eyes so very near
It’s only a dog, a wolf pretending
It’s Boo dog, my dear old friend
As dark as night is my friend Boo
Grey beard, grey muzzle, whiskers too
What’s the matter, what do you seek?
Into your thoughts I wish to peek
Something's missing, something's gone
Where is my master? Somethings wrong
To speak aloud would be his choice
But a bark, a whine is not a voice
From times ere present he remembers fall
He and his master he oft recalls
Of birds on wing, of ducks in flight
Of water and marshes, fogs delight
From his master’s side he did stare
At blue skies and cold morning air
Irritating squirrels barking on high
Brought leaps of joy breaching the sky
Where’s his master? His voice gone
Where’s his caress for which he longs?
Where’s the truck I used to greet
Where’s the lap into which I leaped
Where’s his hand? The praises begged?
Boo was cared for, loved and fed
Where is his master his eyes reflect?
Fretful longing and worry I detect
Your master's gone, I can’t explain
To a dog would be inane
Unknown malady his body baked
Left broken lungs in its wake
Choosing not to waste away
Your master, a disease did take
Explanations I have none
Not for myself or anyone
Cherished memories are what’s left
Of your master so much love is felt
Boo, no tenant or creed has he
Far more nobler and purer than me
Salvation and damnation isn’t his concern
His master’s approval only he yearns
Heaven and hell you can’t perceive
Truth is you can only grieve
Are Boo and I not alike?
Creatures akin in God’s sight
One day soon all will end on cue
You’ll hear a whistle, a command, Here Boo!
Then off you will go beyond the veil
And find your master, all will be well
Boo dog, old dog, and old friend
We now approach our winter’s end
Not the seasons do we test?
But all eternity and heaven’s rest
