Yes! That line, can you even believe she was able to put that to words. How often I have felt that but words as such never came with such clarity to identify it. Lovely!
I love dogs but have been in the situation of having to cope with a neighbour's dog that barked endlessly whenever they left them home alone. This poem by Billy Collins comes to mind. It is always good to find humour and music.
Another Reason Why I Don't Keep A Gun In The House
The neighbors' dog will not stop barking. He is barking the same high, rhythmic bark that he barks every time they leave the house. They must switch him on on their way out.
The neighbors' dog will not stop barking. I close all the windows in the house and put on a Beethoven symphony full blast but I can still hear him muffled under the music, barking, barking, barking,
and now I can see him sitting in the orchestra, his head raised confidently as if Beethoven had included a part for barking dog.
When the record finally ends he is still barking, sitting there in the oboe section barking, his eyes fixed on the conductor who is entreating him with his baton
while the other musicians listen in respectful silence to the famous barking dog solo, that endless coda that first established Beethoven as an innovative genius.
I can’t think of any poems about dogs. Considering how much love there is between us I am very surprised that I don’t know of any celebrating our special relationship. That’s sad. Here’s an impromptu one from me:
Love that Dog, by Sharon Creech is a wonderful story about a dog, a boy, love, loss - the unbearable loss of a beloved dog and the unconditional way they love and trust, and it’s a lovely children’s book that also teaches children and adults about poetry writing.
A sweet homage filled with dogness, and as of today,
I shall go a hunting.
What I initially meant to write is that I have no poem about a dog, but, this week’s prompt reminded me of my dog Mushroom, a very sweet, loving hound whom I, as a young man, carried around in a canvas shoulder bag, when he was a tiny puppy. Mushroom would peek out of the bag, his front paws resting on the bag’s open rim, his eyes and nose busy catching the world as we strolled about town. Thanks for a long neglected memory. 🏮
Can't think of a good dog poem but at the protest yesterday a friend wore a tee shirt that said "I love my bike, my dog......and 3 people", which reminded me of a saying of my grandfather: " the older I get, the more I like dogs".
Dharma
by Billy Collins.
The way the dog trots out the front door
every morning
without a hat or an umbrella,
without any money
or the keys to her doghouse
never fails to fill the saucer of my heart
with milky admiration.
Who provides a finer example
of a life without encumbrance—
Thoreau in his curtainless hut
with a single plate, a single spoon?
Gandhi with his staff and his holy diapers?
Off she goes into the material world
with nothing but her brown coat
and her modest blue collar,
following only her wet nose,
the twin portals of her steady breathing,
followed only by the plume of her tail.
If only she did not shove the cat aside
every morning
and eat all his food
what a model of self-containment she
would be,
what a paragon of earthly detachment.
If only she were not so eager
for a rub behind the ears,
so acrobatic in her welcomes,
if only I were not her god.
"The saucer of my heart". Gobsmacked by that line. Or maybe Godsmacked by that line. Or better yet Dogsmacked.
following her wet nose--so much that nose knows!! So many vivid images. Thank you for posting!
Thank you for posting this. Two great dog poems in one place🐕
Lovely. I know that dog …
My first-love dog poem! "who provides a greater example /of life without encumbrance—"
Mar Oliver: A dog can never tell you what she knows of the smells of the world. But you know, watching her, that you know almost nothing.
That is one of my favorites!
Mary Oliver:
The First Time Percy Came Back
The first time Percy came back
he was not sailing on a cloud.
He was loping along the sand as though
he had come a great way.
"Percy," I cried out, and reached to him—
those white curls—
but he was unreachable. As music
is present yet you can't touch it.
"Yes, it's all different," he said.
"You're going to be very surprised."
But I wasn't thinking of that. I only
wanted to hold him. "Listen," he said,
"I miss that too.
And now you'll be telling stories
of my coming back
and they won't be false, and they won't be true,
but they'll be real."
And then, as he used to, he said, "Let's go!"
And we walked down the beach together.
Yes, anything from Oliver's Dog Songs.💖
…and they won’t be false, and they won’t be true, but they’ll be real.”
Thank you, Catherine
Yes! That line, can you even believe she was able to put that to words. How often I have felt that but words as such never came with such clarity to identify it. Lovely!
This one always speaks to me too.
Lost Dog by Ellen Bass
It's just getting dark, fog drifting in,
damp grasses fragrant with anise and mint,
and though I call his name
until my voice cracks,
there's no faint tinkling
of tag against collar, no sleek
black silhouette with tall ears rushing
toward me through the wild radish.
As it turns out, he's trotted home,
tracing the route of his trusty urine.
Now he sprawls on the deep red rug, not dead,
not stolen by a car on West Cliff Drive.
Every time I look at him, the wide head
resting on outstretched paws,
joy does another lap around the racetrack
of my heart. Even in sleep
when I turn over to ease my bad hip,
I'm suffused with contentment.
If I could lose him like this every day
I'd be the happiest woman alive.
Joy does another lap around the racetrack of my heart. Excatly that!
I absolutely love Ellen Bass' poetry. Thanks for sharing this.
I love dogs but have been in the situation of having to cope with a neighbour's dog that barked endlessly whenever they left them home alone. This poem by Billy Collins comes to mind. It is always good to find humour and music.
Another Reason Why I Don't Keep A Gun In The House
The neighbors' dog will not stop barking. He is barking the same high, rhythmic bark that he barks every time they leave the house. They must switch him on on their way out.
The neighbors' dog will not stop barking. I close all the windows in the house and put on a Beethoven symphony full blast but I can still hear him muffled under the music, barking, barking, barking,
and now I can see him sitting in the orchestra, his head raised confidently as if Beethoven had included a part for barking dog.
When the record finally ends he is still barking, sitting there in the oboe section barking, his eyes fixed on the conductor who is entreating him with his baton
while the other musicians listen in respectful silence to the famous barking dog solo, that endless coda that first established Beethoven as an innovative genius.
Love this!
This was a poem I thought of, too!
So lovely- I adore Kate Barnes’ poem Why Do You Ask, from her collection Kneeling Orion:
I can’t make
any story
about my life
tonight. The house
is like an overturned
wastebasket;
the radio
is predicting
more rain.
I ask my dog
to tell me
a story, and she
never hesitates
“Once upon
a time,” she says,
“a woman lived
with a simply
wonderful dog…” and
she stops talking.
“Is that all?”
I ask her.
“Yes,” she says.
“Why do you ask?
Isn’t that enough?”
Oh that is so fine! Isn’t that enough?!!!
I can’t think of any poems about dogs. Considering how much love there is between us I am very surprised that I don’t know of any celebrating our special relationship. That’s sad. Here’s an impromptu one from me:
I grew up with Nipper
as a nipper myself
Sparkie and I went through my teenage years
My first big human love
Shared me with Sandos.
And now I share my elderly walks
with young Bella.
Every single one a Cocker spaniel
A loving, merry, sweet companion
My life is full
because of them.
November 12 1996
I didn’t expect it
My feet were chilled
Naked in the basement
And your animal black fur
Took my paw in your hand
Friend
Always wanting to be just a heart beat away
Always wanting just to be a few feet away
Heart beating
Just to be there for the love of it
My ordinary life
Smells so good to you
It goes straight to your spirit
Animal protector
And to you my feet smell like rare lilies
So sweet
Intoxicating
Last night after tearing you apart with my hard words
I rubbed your feet
Like the warm fur under my table where I write
I wanted only to touch you
Feel our blood
Rushing back and forth
We’re alive
Elyse Pomeranz
Patti Casey's gorgeous song "Old Man" is a favorite dog poem.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um5qkFelK64)
Billy Collins' "The Revenant" is always good for a laugh.
But my all time favorite dog poem: "For Georgie" by Stanley Moss. Hard to find so here it is. Hope it's okay to write it out in its entirety.
For Georgie (Stanley Moss)
Today, flying from Munich to Rome,
I flew over Venice.
I saw Venice through Tiepolo clouds.
I knew Venus and Mars were making love down there.
Two days ago, my dog died,
ate poison,
her insides were cut to pieces.
You Doges, Popes,
Admiral Jehovah,
Admiral Jesus, Zeus, Satan,
Whoever is up to it,
I'll give you Venice, the Titians, Bellinis, Tiepolos,
the piazzas and palaces--un affare.
It's all yours. Give me back my dog.
Yes! “The Revenant” by Billy Collins
From 10 year old me, written and subsequently sung as I plinked out a tune on the piano:
Oh, Nipper
If you should ever die.
I would cry.
And cry and cry and cry.
As far as I'm concerned, we can never praise dogs enough!
There are many dog poems I love, but here is one of them:
"My Dog Practices Geometry" by Cathryn Essinger: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/41360/my-dog-practices-geometry
Thanks so much for this. It has a Collin's feel in that last stanza, doesn't it? Lovely...
It's a lyric: "God is a Wild Old Dog" by Patty Griffin. Better heard sung than read, but ...
God is a wild, old dog
Someone left out on the highway
I seen him running by me
He don't belong to no one now
He dropped him out on Ninety-Three
Mange was setting in on his hips and on his knees
'Tween the highways running north and south
Pulled on over and we put him out
Willie said he was old and going blind
Mama told me how she didn't mind
When Willie kicked him with his shoe
He just climbed on in, just like he knew
God is a wild, old dog
Someone left out on the highway
I seen him running by me
He don't belong to no one now
It's lonely on the highway
Sometimes a heart can turn to dust
Get whittled down to nothing
Broken down and crushed
In with the bones of wild, old dogs
Wild, old dogs
https://youtu.be/4DAiU0GFe9E?si=4rYEVYOkZUIekEca
Here is a link to song 🎵
Thank you for telling us about it❤️
Love that Dog, by Sharon Creech is a wonderful story about a dog, a boy, love, loss - the unbearable loss of a beloved dog and the unconditional way they love and trust, and it’s a lovely children’s book that also teaches children and adults about poetry writing.
And Creech builds the narrative so beautifully with verse. I love Jack!
I’ve no poem fit for a dog,
And, yes, there must be
Somewhere out there
A sweet homage filled with dogness, and as of today,
I shall go a hunting.
What I initially meant to write is that I have no poem about a dog, but, this week’s prompt reminded me of my dog Mushroom, a very sweet, loving hound whom I, as a young man, carried around in a canvas shoulder bag, when he was a tiny puppy. Mushroom would peek out of the bag, his front paws resting on the bag’s open rim, his eyes and nose busy catching the world as we strolled about town. Thanks for a long neglected memory. 🏮
Can't think of a good dog poem but at the protest yesterday a friend wore a tee shirt that said "I love my bike, my dog......and 3 people", which reminded me of a saying of my grandfather: " the older I get, the more I like dogs".
In case anyone might enjoy here is a little poem of wonder and gratitude for our furry friends.
Is there anything more welcome
than the gift of another
coming without bidding
to be with you
asking nothing and giving all
oblivious to mortal flaw
companion and comfort
soft fur and gentle snore
music to the heart’s core
Heidi Libesman
January 2024
Heidi,
If this were a poetry contest, your poem would win hands down.