Those of us who spent childhood years reading stories about dog adventures, lived vicariously through their tales of excitement and suspense. The first page of the Little Golden Book classic, The Poky Little Puppy begins: “Five little puppies dug a hole under the fence and went for a walk in the wide, wide world.”
It’s a joy to experience the world through the eyes of a dog.
Poetry Prompt:
Write a poem about one dog’s adventure.
Lost Dog
He lifts his hopeful eyes at each new tread,
Dark wells of brown with half his heart in each:
He will not bark, because he is well-bred,
Only one voice can heal the sorry breach.
He scans the faces that he does not know,
One paw uplifted, ear cocked for a sound
Outside his sight. Only he must not go
Away from here; by honor he is bound.
Now he has heard a whistle
down the street;
He trembles in a sort of ecstasy,
Dances upon his eager, padding feet,
Straining himself to hear, to feel, to see,
And rushes at a call to meet the one
Who of his tiny universe is sun.
—by Frances Rodman, from Good Dog Poems
Special thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s poetry prompt. Here’s one contribution— a poem from Richard titled, Taiko:
Like a little toy dog the color of rust,
with eyes brown and blue, you stand.
And recalling a poem, in memory dust,
I smile and extend you my hand.
That was a time when a turn in my life
turned a dream into time so untrue.
And wandering then, a sheath for a knife,
I came each day to a window with you.
Love can be selfish—advise from the years
that made ragged the edges of rhyme—
and selfish it was trading you for my tears,
taking you into that terrible time.
Things break apart that faithful won’t hold;
paradise is wrought with a worm—
The way of your heart was wild and so bold,
neither tether nor love held you firm.
And here in this photo all these years through,
so still in the same old chair,
I wished that someone else had picked you
from that window as you waited there.
Photo by Darren Clare. Creative Commons license via Flickr. Post by Heather Eure.
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Sometimes we feature your poems in Every Day Poems, with your permission of course. Thanks for writing with us!
Browse more dog poems
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Megan Willome says
OK. I did one called “Clover Learns to Drive.” http://meganwillome.com/2014/06/23/23-june-2014/
Richard Maxson says
I liked this. It captures dogs riding in the car very well. They do think they have control of the car sometimes. Been on those Texas hill country roads and they are not for amateurs. Our daughter lives in Austin.
Marcy Terwilliger says
Gracie May
She wonders the streets,
Digs out huge big holes
Escapes like a thief.
Solid black Lab
With gray around her nose.
Sweet thing comes a calling,
She knows I’m the shady side.
Cools her down,
As she snuggles up to me,
Licks my face while I get her
Something cold to drink.
Our visit is never too long,
Gracie has other’s to greet.
Lots of people on the sidewalk,
Car’s she can chase down the street.
If only she were mine,
Gracie May and I would go for a walk.
Each day we would talk,
There would be no need for a dig.
Sad but true,
She belongs to you.
Come back Gracie May,
I sure miss you.
Richard Maxson says
This poem touched me. My second dog was named Gracie, a real sweetie. It is sad to see someone else’s dog longing for affection and want to love them the way they should be.
Richard Maxson says
Odyssey
howl,
not your best years,
link on link on link,
moving, rattle-steel
on wood bark,
the wolf in you,
the breath opened,
breath yet rising
after you, ascending beyond,
even now,
the imprisoned rain
—but then—
the streets, yours,
the gathering of trees, yours,
the frightening and familiar, yours—
to be free by choice,
and lost by freedom,
so much like drops of rain
you shook from their refuge
behind the guard hairs
and nestled in the down—
what quenched you
grew deep, grew round,
and drowning lurked
between the shadows of woods,
the shivering and slender shelters,
—lost is a blade of days
honed into countless cuttings—
to be found by fear,
by shout and sheer abduction,
a cage without keys inside you,
formed friendless—
—but now—
you pound the floor
with your great tail to greet me,
the story of you trapped in language,
the sojourn of you beyond imagination.
Marcy says
Richard Maxson
I really enjoyed “Odyssey.” Reminds me of trying to gain the trust of a stray dog, one that’s been on it’s own far too long. Wish I could find the words in me that you so easily place before us. All of your poems are like that, your a good writer Richard, maybe one day I’ll reach those heights.
Richard Maxson says
Marcy, thank you for your kind words. This was about my dog Molly who was lost before I got her. They thought she was lost for nearly a year before SPCA found her and I was lucky enough to give her a home.
Richard Maxson says
Here is a photo of Molly doing one of her favorite things, canoeing. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/323274079475586618/
SimplyDarlene says
beautyFull shepherd.
Shelly Faber says
My ‘She’s Watching Me’ poem, works best with the picture… please read, and enjoy.
Thank you,
Shelly
http://myredwinediary.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/shes-watching-me/
Richard Maxson says
She is a watcher. The poem fits perfectly.
Shelly Faber says
Thank you, Richard,
Now if I could only teach her to paddle!
P.S. that’s one beautiful Molly!
SimplyDarlene says
piercing eyes, for sure.
Shelly Faber says
Hehe, thanks. they get me ALL the time!
Richard Maxson says
Heather, thank you for the post. 🙂
Heather Eure says
Shucks… thank YOU, Richard. 🙂
SimplyDarlene says
My piece is at my site – where it’s gone to the dogs for the entire month of June…
Here’s a snippet and a link.
” you are my hero, my she-knight in denim blue jeans! I’m dedicating my own canine
self, from this day forth, to protecting you from all that goes bump in the day
and the night … ”
http://simplydarlene.com/2014/06/25/a-note-from-my-pup-dog-daze-of-june/
SimplyDarlene says
I’ve got your
back, little buddy.
You’ve got my
hairy belly, turned
wrong-side up
when I’m looking for
a scratch. I’ve got
your friendship, little
buddy. You’ve got
my pillow beside
your bed, a hug, a
walk, a ball-toss. I’ve
got your heart, little
buddy. And you’ve
got mine.
http://simplydarlene.com/2014/06/26/weve-got-dog-daze-of-june/
Sandra Heska King says
One day my husband took Rose-Dog for a walk.
They walked up, and they walked down, and they walked all around.
And they walked very, very far.
Rose-Dog splashed in a creek, chased a butterfly, and rolled little brown marbles with her nose.
My husband forgot to look at his watch.
Finally Rose-Dog was so tuckered, she could go no further.
So she simply collapsed in the clover, put her head on her paws, and said it was time to go home.
And I had to drive ten miles to pick them both up.
The end.
Rosanne Osborne says
Airedale in the Sky
The Airedale next door cannot accept the limits
of grounded feet. He skys above our fence,
trampolined to heights his dog-dreams
shape as he bounces up and down,
up and down, up and down.
His furred consciousness refuses to accept
the gravitational pull of his own yard
while my Westies centered
on shorter legs watch
longing to find
sky’s key.
It’s his delight in the flight that captures
their grounded imaginations, joy
in rebounding from landing
squarely, springing up,
recoiling, flying
again.
Rosanne Osborne says
Canine Lovesong
I confess. I love
that black door.
The cool on my nose,
the smells to die for.
I love it when she ponders
what to select, stands
before the light. I peer
through her legs
into the bottom bins,
round juicy things
I don’t even like
look gorgeous
through unavailability.
Bacon! She’s taking
bacon from the shelf.
The ads are right. If
I had thumbs, I’d
get it myself.