Oh, you American dogs —
barking, loving, tongue dangling
boys, sweet mongrel girls
at our feet:
you don’t care who we vote for,
our politics, our positions
on abortion
or limited government;
you do care if we don’t come home
from a war, or if we don’t feed you
well and let you become gaunt,
even homeless when the money falls short;
yet even then you will leap at us
when we call and love us without reservation
on this stolen, damaged land we call
our own. We call you “our own” too,
but truly, you are your own tribe
and your rites are observed wherever
you find yourself: the chasing of tails,
the lying down anywhere,
the inappropriate things that are eaten,
the public sex, the loudness, the happy
earthy stink of you being yourselves without
any thought…oh, it’s no real wonder you love us,
you American dogs; no wonder at all.
Dark Matter 
February 17th, 2010 at 8:29 am
The BEST dog poem? Cool.
My dad was a groomer for many years, so I grew up with a house full of a rotating cast of them, though due to apartment living now, I have a cat and a ferret, who are also excellent.
February 16th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
As an unsentimental but obssessively in-dog-love owner of four dogs, I tell you this is the best dog poem I’ve ever read. (and most truthful as well). How do you continually write such wonderful and philosophical poems? I envy your gift. Pearl