Sunday, January 8, 2012

A Dog's Life


The life of a dog is a dog's life.
It is pain. It is suffering and grief.
The life of a dog is a dog's life.
Full of fear and gnashing of teeth.

God/dog, dog/god.
Palindromes and dreams of nod.
God/dog, god/dog.
And all I hear leaves me agog.

So lift up a leg to the Hound of Heaven,
to the Great Dog Star in the sky.
Sit up and beg to be forgiven,
and let this sleeping dog lie.

God/dog, god/dog.
It's heady stuff, all cloud and fog.
God/dog, god/dog.
With feet of clay and mind in bog.

The Great Dog Star is our image;
he is made as one of our own.
He doesn't wear clothes and has a wet nose,
and thinks nothing of sucking the bone.

God/dog, god/dog.
Speaks from high: a monologue.
God/dog, god/dog.
In cunning plans, we're only cogs.

The life of a dog is a dog's life.
It is cruel. It is brutal and brief.
The life of a dog is a dog's life.
Thrown a bone to atone like a thief.

God/dog, god/dog.
Like unicorns and golliwogs.
God/dog, god/dog.
A chant easy as falling off logs.

To the Great Dog Star, pay homage.
And croon to a singular moon.
If the night is primal and savage,
obey and bay in good tune.

God/dog, god/dog.
I've seen machine and catalogue.
God/dog, god/dog.
A keen design to whip and flog.

God/dog, dog/god.
It sounds absurd, and awfully odd.
God/dog, dog/god.
Share the word and spare the rod.

So lift up your snout to the Hound of Heaven,
lift up your heart and growl.
Show your respect for the Hound of Heaven,
just throw a ginsberg and howl!

- David Smith White

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