your eyes adjust
to the light and shadows of the room
keeping still, you await for instructions,
hand gestures with terse commands
tongue limps low in submission,
as your eyes, dulled barren in orange pot
how your feet long to crawl and grip the dirt
how your neck desires for unshackled green field
how your lungs ache to howl in the full moon night
but you grind your lips tight,
fold your angst under shiny coat,
put on your white over-all and black boots
at least you still have a job
Posted for The Mag 128
Wow!
ReplyDeleteI have often wondered in these pairings of dog/person, who has who on the leash. Here it could go either way! (I'm ready to howl come dark today!)
nice twist at the end- very well written. You described both lives so well.
ReplyDeleteHa! Very fun. Labs (when they grow up - and this one is greyed - are just so good.) Wonderful twist at end. k.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed this, Grace...
ReplyDeleteNicely done and leaves you wondering....
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed going through this piece ... the end really left me wondering ... good work as always :-)
ReplyDeleteFor one horrible moment, I thought you were talking about the dog! Hehehe! Me and dogs don't go...
ReplyDeleteWow. Just, wow! Amazing connection......!
ReplyDeletenice...easy to blur the lines between man and dog in your words and the desire to have a bit of freedom to run and play and howl...smiles...
ReplyDeleteYes, the mix between who is narrating is very clever here because it seems as if it is both. Well done Grace, another good one from your talented pen :)
ReplyDeleteThe real owner is always the dog! Nice!
ReplyDeleteI loved the brilliant way you obscured the voice of your poem, Grace. It worked really well with the tight check list of going through the motions. Very insightful and real. Thanks for sharing this. =D
ReplyDeletefab...how i long for an ' unshackled green field'!!...xx
ReplyDeleteThe need for freedom is great in man and dog. Great poem!
ReplyDeleteHmmm...Profound, Grace. There's doublespeak here somewhere, right? ;)
ReplyDeleteA bit free but still have to work, I guess it isn't always a perk.
ReplyDeleteI think you're being generous, Grace, i fear the beast has forgotten how to want for these things. A perfectly tragic taming.
ReplyDeleteRick
It has an air of resolute determination and resigned sadness to it. A very moving piece.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is really cool, Grace!
ReplyDeleteI too, have been kniwn to change shape at certain times of month, to run free and howl at the moon, and i how i ache when the harness goes back on, the drudgery of servitude ! Thanks, Grace
ReplyDeleteWow ... awesome and very unanticipated.
ReplyDeleteLast line ... an unbelievable punch in the gut. Nice writing~~~~
ReplyDeleteLove the flip-flop of it all...
ReplyDeleteNice one grace...the whites are a give away...working man :-)
ReplyDeleteExcellent and the twist in the tale superb!
ReplyDeleteAnna :o]
Cleverly crafted Grace! We were led to believe and wonder, was it man or dog?
ReplyDeleteHank
yes, love what you did for a finale!
ReplyDeletesuspenseful and atmospheric
ReplyDeleteExcellent twist :)
ReplyDelete"tongue lips low in submission"...certainly could be said for man or beast...
ReplyDeleteAnd as an aside; I receive your postings via email and this post, when I first looked at it in my email form had, at the bottom, an ad from google inviting the reader to visit republican.com...now that was weird...
Oh this is very rich. Your image that you evoke in my mind's eye is perfect, and what I saw on first look at the image this week. Until I looked into the man behind it! Perfectly fitting poem you have woven for us.
ReplyDelete"how your lungs ache to howl in the full moon light"....excellent!!
ReplyDeleteWonderfully crafted -
ReplyDeleteThe unexpected is always a gift.
ReplyDeleteI love the flip at the end...nicely done!
ReplyDeleteI like your closing line and this section:
ReplyDelete"tongue limps low in submission,
as your eyes, dulled barren in orange pot"
I really like this....thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteWhat a twist!...great....and amusing thoughts...
ReplyDeleteWonderful take, Grace
ReplyDeleteSo true Grace! :-)
ReplyDeletewonderfully done!
ReplyDeleteJJRod'z
Nice and true Grace;)
ReplyDelete