Thursday, September 17, 2020

Joy does another lap around the racetrack of my heart

Happiness is a warm puppy.
~Charles Shultz


When we adopted Preston, our second dog, I hoped his presence would make Lucy feel better about being alone in the house. You know, the two of them could hang out while we were gone. As it turns out, a) due to the pandemic, there are six of us here so them being home alone isn't really a thing and b) Preston doesn't cope that well when I go out. Woe unto everyone if I start to go out and realize I've forgotten something and come back for it. Preston gets really upset when I leave the second time. He actually makes loon noises. I have promised Matthew that I won't go anywhere when he is teaching class. I don't want him to be distracted by loon sounds upstairs.


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...

read the rest here


************

Waiting for Happiness
by Nomi Stone

Dog knows when friend will come home
because each hour friend’s smell pales,
air paring down the good smell
with its little diamond. It means I miss you
O I miss you, how hard it is to wait
for my happiness, and how good when
it arrives. Here we are in our bodies,...

read the rest here


************

Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Matt!

11 comments:

Matt Forrest Esenwine said...

We have 4 dogs here now, and have fostered at least 15 over the past few years...so I know how much happiness and joy they can bring. Thanks for sharing these, Tabatha!

Liz Steinglass said...

I think pets often surprise us by being their own unique selves and not what we were imagining but it doesn't really matter because they are consistently loved and loving.

Bridget Magee said...

Swoon! Thank you for sharing these dog-gone sweet poems, the link with more doggy poems, but most of all, the picture of Preston! Such a sweet furry face. I think my Smidgey would love to be Preston's friend...well, I would. Smidgey tends to like the IDEA of other dogs, rather than the real thing. She's special like that. ;)

Ruth said...

I love these, especially the second one!

Linda Mitchell said...

Well, that was a fun rabbit hole! Of course I had read all the dog poems because how could I not? Thanks for the wonderful link, Tabatha...I've only gone to the link for the first poem. I'm now going back to the second! Dear little Preston has a good home and a good human. What a life. "loon noises," ha!

Linda B said...

Like Linda M., I got caught up in ALL those dog poems, Tabatha. I don't have a dog anymore & love when I get to keep my near 'granddog', but while he's good, he also makes some keening sounds waiting for his family. Dogs do keep their hearts on their 'sleeves', don't they? I'm glad you've worked out what's best for Preston & your son!

Jone said...

Oh my heart. The peoms and your story of Preston. Dogs have amazing traits.

michelle kogan said...

Such a heartfelt poem "Lost Dog" is, and you feel that joy and love in this line
"joy does another lap around the racetrack
of my heart."And Nomi Stone's last lines just tug at your heart.
Sounds like your hands are full with your new doggie, Preston–and full of love. Thanks Tabatha.

Carol Varsalona said...

Tabatha, I enjoyed reading the dog poems. My friends who own dogs are so attached. My children wanted a dog but my husband is terribly allergic so it is fun to see the dogs in my neighborhood.

Fran Haley said...

I love, love, love a good dog, and have had many. Occasionally they write guest posts on my blog (hhmmm... it's been a while, so...). I can't imagine the emptiness of not having a dog. Creatures so willing to give themselves wholly to another, with their souls (I believe they have them!) in their eyes. The poem selections are a joy, pulling on the heartstrings all the way. And PRESTON-! Adorable! The loon noises pull at the heart, too. Love this post.

A.D. said...

So appreciate what you've shared here. We have three remarkable pups. What are we to do with a face like Preston's? Love. And then love some more. One of Mary Oliver's poems about Percy from her book, "Red Bird," always makes me smile:

"Percy does not like it when I read a book.
He puts his face over the top of it, and moans.
He rolls his eyes, sometimes he sneezes.
The sun is up, he says, and the wind is down.
The tide is out, and the neighbor's dogs are playing.
But Percy, I say, Ideas! The elegance of language!
The insights, the funniness, the beautiful stories
that rise and fall and turn into strength, or courage.
Books? says Percy. I ate one once, and it was enough. Let's go."

Laure