You know,
A worker like me bays at each dream. Sequence
Pushes four paws toward the blue, sickled tail
Sky-scraping the coffee table, forever scoping out
Delicacies like provolone cheese,
as if it were the gold rush in Nome
All over again. Triangle-ears scout
As a skeptic, my tongue lazy, soggy yet bobbed
Just now like a cuckoo, to gratify
A few rumors:
Tales of a “snow” in which to play
Tumble-somersaulting with a friend
(Stamping snow-dog angels into the ground)
Though I’d much prefer to lay my snout
Across the denim-knee of my life than curl
Fetal-like, against a plushy blanket
Caked with floral dread
Or sleep as a wolf in the wood
Amongst arctic timber –
I like cheese and ice and sugar cookies too much.
There was pointed-ear-whisper-nudging going on
At the park
About a great four-legged race, where dogs led
You humans, with pride and severity
Across a desert of snow, though I can’t
Even imagine. Though
I can imagine I’d win.
My grin, both profane and ridiculous, reminds me
Of our pack; top-dog-mom wrestling with Spud
But still, I wonder how the crunch would feel,
On chilly pads so soft from lawn.
I wonder if the twigs get frozen, too – like
The one I ate in Mississippi
Because my teeth needed flossed.
I lost it no sooner than I found my trophy –
A fair woolen ball that let me chase it, though
The clever bugger tried to pounce away – like a cat.
Such a treasure was placed
Inside my den, protected by
The metal gate that shuts me in
When my people leave, and the lights
Go dim.
Then, when harnessed, piloting the pack
With the GPS hidden inside my densely-ashen fur,
My seasonal citadel -
I try, with knowing eyes that ask
Forgiveness, to get us home on time,
For chow and cheese, and ice, and sugar cookies –
Which usually works out well, since I like to think
I chose happiness in Siberia,
And followed that map to New Orleans.
Author notes
Combination of 1 and 3. Thanks!
A contest entry
- Through the Eyes of an Animal by kareneisenlord.
1750 points, ended November 5, 2008, 30 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 6 of 6
-
Very witty and delightful!
I thoroughly enjoyed this piece through the eyes of a domesticated "wolf", so to speak - contrasting the luxuries and ironies of his/her priviledged life compared to living in the wilds. It was such a pleasure to read as very creative and imaginatively done. You did it so well, with great imagery and feeling; making it's animism/anthropomorphism very believable. The humor was wonderful and was most enjoyable. The title is perfect- implying the identity crisis of this beautiful dog. Thank you for entering this great write! You are very talented. Keep up the good work. -
your recent work, here and elsewhere, has a touch of sensitivity and gentleness. I love this pen-portrait of Zasha very much; it's entirely how I picture her. ♥♥♥♥
M
-
-
thank you - how do you feel like I could work with it? I really like the title and I want to gear it toward that.. with the poem actually as an introductory statement from Zasha on a delphi panel.
Lately I know my poetry's been odd or different than my normal crap I spew out - I'm really trying to focus on revisions. -
-
There is only so much that can be said for revision after you have presented a piece. I try hard not to revise anything once it is posted here, but to have complete confidence in it. (The only exception being my "Welshday" list, which I am working on for a contest first of all and then to send to the BBC - maybe). I like this as it stands. I wondered about the sudden introduction of "Spud", but then I thought - why not? Putting words into a dog's mouth can veer towards anthropomorphism, but I love the way this steers away by having a kind of stream-of-consciousness that doesn't follow human logic or thought patterns. If you are avid to revise, then think about a whole new version breaking up the grammar and language even more, to reflect the attention span, the continuous present of a dog's existence. But leave this entry as it is.
-
-
Och I am constantly revising all of my work until I feel it's as it should be - perhaps I'm not as intelligent as you are to be able to vomit poetry out of my sleep
Meanwhile - thank you for your comments! -
-
Out of my sleep? LOL I wish!
-
-
-
-
Adding your comment:
1 - 6 of 6
