uncomplaining in the midst of contraction

Poem #18 from: Memoir of a Dog Back to Memoir of a Dog - Introduction the weeks have blurred us exhausted whatever it was that we had left to act as strength there was so little to begin with there is no room to think good thoughts bad thoughts thoughts of disappearance of running no …

emergency placements

Poem #17 from: Memoir of a Dog Back to Memoir of a Dog - Introduction he likes it with the neighbours there’s another dog to play with he’s no trouble he’ll be okay they’ll walk him if we’re not back by tomorrow go go do whatever you need to do don’t worry about him he’ll …

the dark side of goodnight

Poem #16 from: Memoir of a Dog Back to Memoir of a Dog - Introduction in the darkness there is only the one green light bathing the room from the stereo the house is silent but I couldn’t hear a thing anyway I’m in another world headphones have turned me into an escapee in a …

a definition of us

Poem #15 from: Memoir of a Dog Back to Memoir of a Dog - Introduction time changes everything we have sold the property at daylesford our vigour once unflagging has dissipated in the demanding whirl of jobs and pressure stress and weariness the days dissolve between one struggle and the next while we insulate ourselves …

from each the same

Poem #14 from: Memoir of a Dog Back to Memoir of a Dog - Introduction tail up sniffing a bark and a smile that’s all tongue and teeth it’s good to be alive let’s go run like a fool with another on the roam a game of tag to bowl each other over the wind …

electrification by gentry

Poem #13 from: Memoir of a Dog Back to Memoir of a Dog - Introduction we are country folk transplanted to the city people like us never weary of the sight of green paddocks in a spring of rain the yellows and browns that make summer young enough still to hanker for a dream of …

a morsel said the dog

I asked the dog but it seems she doesn’t know just wagged in case of snacks or treats whatever is needed for a happy ending the sky of course is much the same but bluer the creek beside our walk rushed by too fast to offer counsel or talk beyond the kindness of a susurrous …

dangerous devices in the rear

Poem #12 from: Memoir of a Dog Back to Memoir of a Dog - Introduction well he’s a big dog it was to be expected but none of us are happy about it we could’ve trained him perhaps to go to just one corner of the yard but we never quite got around to it …

the inevitability of bow wows

Poem #11 from: Memoir of a Dog Back to Memoir of a Dog - Introduction somehow it has become woman’s work every few weeks the dog needs to be washed and dried the tangled mat of his wool combed and brushed he is tolerant of the brushing but most unhappy about bath-time when released from …

getting a grip: a man should stay a man

Poem #10 from: Memoir of a Dog Back to Memoir of a Dog - Introduction this is a difficult matter I don’t even want to think about it have put it off three times already but each year there is a new confrontation and I know why they do it it’s well known that there’s …