She must have been kicked unseen or brushed by a car.
Too young to know much, she was beginning to learn
To use the newspapers spread on the kitchen floor
And to win, wetting there, the words, “Good dog! Good dog!”
We thought her shy malaise was a shot reaction.
The autopsy disclosed a rupture in her liver.
As we teased her with play, blood was filling her skin
And her heart was learning to lie down forever.
Monday morning, as the children were noisily fed
And sent to school, she crawled beneath the youngest’s bed.
We found her twisted and limp but still alive.
In the car to the vet’s, on my lap, she tried
To bite my hand and died. I stroked her warm fur
And my wife called in a voice imperious with tears.
Though surrounded by love that would have upheld her,
Nevertheless she sank and, stiffening, disappeared.
Back home, we found that in the night her frame,
Drawing near to dissolution, had endured the shame
Of diarrhea and had dragged across the floor
To a newspaper carelessly left there. Good dog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VrZE8MCnIA&feature=channel_video_title
ReplyDeleteThis poem was so painful to listen to. This is one of the reason I don't want to a pet. I would not want to go through this deep pain.
ReplyDeleteThis poem is really sad. It shows the journey of the dogs life, from reckless young pup to tired slow dog. It's especially sad that in the dogs dying moments, it was so loyal and wanted to please its owner that she tried to get to the newspaper to go to the bathroom, even though she was in so much pain. The word "embarrassing" really affected me for some reason. It's sad to think that things die being embarrassed like that. And of course the last two words, "Good dog" has such an impact on the reader. A simple conclusion that feels so strong.
ReplyDeleteThis poem is sad and made me sad when I read it. I do not have a pet but if I did I would not want to go through the pain and heartbreak. It was sad when the dog tried to act like it always did by trying to do things but couldnt.
ReplyDeleteResponding to Mariah Hamil's comment, I agree that it's sad that the dog was "embarassed." You don't have to be proud to die, but you certainly shouldn't be ashamed of it either. Reading this poem, all I could think of was Marley and Me and how loyal Marley was.
ReplyDeleteThe last line took me by surprise, I'm not quite sure what to think of "Good dog." It's more of a passive comment, but I think the dog deserves a whole lot of credit for trying to please it's owner in its final moments.