For Brady

Last Poetry Friday, over at The Drift Record, Julie Larios posted a terrific poem about her “moon fever.” I commented that I, too, had been mesmerized by the moon of late—now that we have a dog, we’re out more at nighttime. Going the next step (and thanks for the encouragement, Julie), I played this week with crafting a related poem. Ended up with a poem about trying to come up with a poem about watching the moon with the dog. It’s rough and rambly, but thought I’d share for Poetry Friday this week as a work in progress.

Julie is this week’s Poetry Friday host. Check out the roundup for more poems and poetic inspiration.

IN SEARCH OF A MOON/DOG POEM

There’s always the humorous take,
you know, the one about the family member
with the requisite props—
pouch full of treats,
various leashes,
books on canine body language—
then the punchline ending:
who’s training whom?

More resonant, perhaps,
a moon/dog haiku,
some poignant juxtaposition involving
moonbeams and dog slobber.

But let’s face it,
much has been written about the moon,
and dogs,
by poets more polished
than the one up late again
trying to learn the ins and outs of Twitter.

Besides,
this poem would be set at midnight
(cliché?),
and feature not some glamorous orb aglow,
but a neighborhood moon over workaday houses
(last line running dangerously close to campaign-speak).

And the dog?
Well, how to capture the dog?
A shepherd mix,
trusting,
or trying to be,
after three years,
just as many homes,
and who knows how many miles.
(Mention here the eager, full-body wag
and eyes like chocolate Tootsie-Pops?)
The point is,
soulfulness in spades, this shelter boy.
What poem could measure up?

While we’re at it,
where’s the poetry in a dog’s need to pee?
Stacking the last dishes,
and donning whichever jacket is nearest the door
for a quick trip out?

Cue the midnight moon.

Not ordinary at all,
radiant,
silently magnificent.
Right there, above the back fence.

Missed how often before this?

Sniffing and other business completed,
dog draws up alongside,
regarding first the sky,
then his moonstruck companion.

Simple really,
the body language.
Stick with me.

By Martha Calderaro

We adopted our sweet pooch, Brady, pictured above, from the Baypath Humane Society in Hopkinton, MA. Here’s their wishlist for anyone in the local area interested in making a donation. Thinking about adopting a dog or cat? One resource for finding animals seeking homes is petfinder. You can search in different ways, including by geographic location.

And for more pet-inspired poetry, my writing friend (and dog-walking buddy) Nandini has some wonderful poems about her family’s pets, including lovely black and white photos, over at her site, Notes from New England.