Work Dog
July 2, 2006
My dog would love
to work
like me.
I dream
of staying home
like him.
He gets too little
car time.
I get
too little
sleeping in.
He can go to work
for me.
As well
as I,
he can labor.
While I stay inside
our
cozy home
and bark at
every neighbor.
qazse 
December 21, 2006 at 11:51 pm
I love a funny poem and I love a poem about dogs. A funny poem about dogs: what joy!
Former laureate and poet of light verse Billy Collins has several you might want to see if you’re unfamiliar.
Or you could avoid the influence and carry on with your own lovely work!
December 22, 2006 at 12:06 am
“avoid the influence” do you believe that can happen? I go back and forth on it.
do you have a dog(s)?
Billy Collins read at a small college in my town (Dallas, PA). He was absolute fun. I got to shake his hand and get an autograph at a reception following the reading.
Now that I an looking at this poem I realize I am not happy with the first line of the second stanza:
He gets too little time
in the car.
I get too little time
sleeping in.
I don’t like the “gets too”. I think “gets so” is smoother. I will change it after I close.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I’ll be by .
Herb
December 22, 2006 at 12:32 am
I don’t think it’s anything to fear, but yes, the only way to escape influence is to avoid reading. The Collins poem I heard read aloud on radio was his purportedly unsentimental dog poem. In it the dog narrator, from beyond the grave, confesses to “never” having “liked you.” He admits the sight of the leash excited him, but explains it was “because it would give me a chance to smell things you hadn’t touched.” My cocker spaniel hates to get his feet wet and walks on tiptoe in wet grass. My dalmation friends predicted an earthquake in Reading PA . . . from Philadelphia. I concur your stanza will read better with “so.”
December 22, 2006 at 12:52 am
“You are wrong, by the way, in thinking that I read a lot of poetry. I don’t read a line.” – Wallace Stevens.
When was the earthquake? I remember the one in the early 90’s.
Wallace was born in Reading.
I am traveling to Philly on Friday to pick up my brother The Legendary Wid to take him up here for Christmas.
Thanks for your input on the poem!
December 22, 2006 at 11:33 pm
Let’s see, the earthquake, I think, was in 1994. I’m not sure it was exactly downtown Reading, but I know it was Berks County. Hey, I know the Wid and his zany prop comedy. He’s a Philly legend; give him my best. In fact, there’s the tiniest chance he might remember a comedy trio from the early 80s called “Appearing Nightly”: me, my wife, our dentist friend Kerry. We never got big, but we played the open mike nights at Comedy Factory Outlet, etc.
December 22, 2006 at 11:42 pm
You know the WID! Then you won’t be surprised to hear we had a change in plan and I will be picking him up on Saturday. I will be sure to show him your comment. Super!