The Rainbow Bridge: Origin and Meaning
Where the poem came from and why it brings comfort to so many.
The first time someone mentioned the Rainbow Bridge after my dog died, I didn't know what they meant. Then I read the poem, and I cried harder than I had all week. Here's the story behind it.
Where did the Rainbow Bridge poem come from?
For years, the origin was uncertain—many claimed authorship. In 2023, the mystery was solved. The original poem was written in 1959 by Edna Clyne-Rekhy, a Scottish artist, the day after her Labrador, Major, died. She was 18 years old.
She wrote it for herself, never intending to publish it. Her husband later shared it, and it spread—copied, reprinted, and adapted millions of times.
What does the Rainbow Bridge describe?
The poem imagines a place 'just this side of Heaven' where pets go when they die. In this meadow:
When their person eventually dies, pet and owner are reunited in the meadow. Together, they cross the Rainbow Bridge into Heaven, never to be separated again.
Why does it resonate so deeply?
The Rainbow Bridge offers something that pure grief doesn't: hope of reunion. It doesn't erase the pain of loss, but it transforms it into temporary separation.
For people who believe in an afterlife, it provides a specific, comforting image. For those who don't, it can still serve as a beautiful metaphor for honoring a bond that feels too strong to end with death.
Does the Rainbow Bridge have religious origins?
The poem itself isn't specifically religious. It mentions 'Heaven' but doesn't belong to any particular faith.
The concept of a bridge to the afterlife appears in many traditions. Norse mythology has the Bifröst, a rainbow bridge connecting Earth to Asgard. Various cultures have similar bridge imagery.
You don't have to believe it literally
Some people take comfort in the Rainbow Bridge as literal truth. Others appreciate it as poetry—a way to express something about the depth of the bond. Both are valid.