FOR I WILL CONSIDER MY DOG PERCY from A THOUSAND MORNINGS by MARY OLIVER

Penguin Press 2012  Copyright by poet Mary Oliver

FOR I WILL CONSIDER MY DOG PERCY

For I will consider my dog Percy.

For he was made small but brave of heart.

For if he met another dog he would kiss her in kindness.

For when he slept he snored only a little.

For he could be silly and noble in the same moment.

For when he spoke he remembered the trumpet and when
  he scratched he struck the floor like a drum.

For he hate only the finest food and drank only the
  purest of water, yet would nibble of dead fish also.

For he came to me impaired and therefore certain of
  short life, yet thourooughly rejoiced in each day.

For he took his medicines without arguement.

For he played easily with the neighborhood's Bull Mastiff.

For when he came upon mud he splashed through it.

For he was an instrument for the children to learn
  benevolence upon.

For he listened to poems as well as love talk.

For when he sniffed it was as if he were being
  pleased by every part of the world.

For when he sickened he rallied as many times as
  he could.

For he was a mixture of gravity and waggery.

For we humans can seek self - destruction in ways
  he never dreamed of.

For he took actions both cunning and reckless, yet
  refused always to offer himself to be admonished.

For his sadness through without words was
  understandable.

For there was nothing sweeter than his peace
  when at rest.

For there was nothing brisker than his life when
in motion.

For he was of the tribe of Wolf.
For when I went away he would watch for me at
  the window.

For he loved me.

For he suffered before I found him, and never
  forgot it.

For he loved Anne.

For when he lay down to enter sleep he did not argue
  about whether or not God made him.

For he could fling himself upside down and laugh
  a true laugh.

For he loved his friend Ricky.

For he would dig holes in the sand and then let
  Ricky lie in them.

For often I see his shape in the clouds and this is
  a continual blessing.

READING POETS ADRIENNE RICH and MARY OLIVER : DO YOU ONLY READ POETRY BECAUSE OF NATIONAL POETRY MONTH?

At the library I noticed a prominent display of poetry books for NATIONAL POETRY MONTH.  

You would think there were a gazillion months instead of just twelve on the calender since we seem to have so very many months dedicated to subject matter.

Even though I think there should be more holidays that require people to stay home from work and/or have three day weekends - which would decrease traffic, increase tourism, and prevent more burnout and heart attacks from crummy jobs, Monday morning being the big "I can't take another day of that ass at work so I'll have a heart attack day", I still feel kind of negative about the Hallmarkisation of the yearly calender.

To the point, do we need months dedicated to Poetry, or African American History, or whatever?  Is this all between Dollar Tree Stores (and the like) and school teachers who use their salaries to supplement student's art supplies and decorations for bulletin boards in the classroom?  You know, suddenly Saint Patricks Day, which is for the Irish, which I'm not, is the cause for buying green crap from China.

Are the same people who brought you Mother's Day and Secretary Day and Doggie Day behind everything for girls being PINK and everthing for boys being BLUE?  Good thing I don't have a child, because I would have to choose YELLOW  or GREEN.

DO YOU ONLY READ POETRY BECAUSE IT'S NATIONAL POETRY MONTH?

If so, then I feel sorry for you.

POETRY SHOULD BE READ when you are in a MOOD.  In particular it is very good for indulging the emotions.  If you don't get torn up or twisted around by an ah ha moment reading poetry, maybe you never will.

I've picked up copies of MARY OLIVER'S A THOUSAND MORNINGS and LATER POEMS (1971-2012) by ADRIENNE RICH since these are poets I read in college.  Hmm... a favorite poem?

C 2013 All Rights Reserved  Christine Trzyna / Christine Trzyna Writerly Life