Archive for the ‘dog’ category

Why Pearl Is Not At Westminster This Year

February 13, 2012

Pearl

Why Pearl is Not in Westminster This Year

Because when she was a puppy and was groomed
professionally, she would
sit on the couch for several days afterwards
the only part of her not trembling
a bright pink bow the groomer had
stuck on; and

because after that, when I began cutting
her hair myself–I can’t
call it grooming–she would end up–
with splotches of fur and
baldness, since, I confess,
I’ve been known
to wear mismatched
socks and to fix my own ‘do
by rubbing palms through it
like a balloon that you want
to stick to a wall or sweater; and also
perhaps,

because her breath
smells an awful
lot like dead fish these
days, though
after sixteen years
you tend to
be sort of glad for things like that–
breath–
especially in the warmth
of speckled, oddly-
furred, tummy.

(Check out a “Truest Love Poem” for Pearl, from Going on Somewhere, my collection of poetry.  Check it out too!  And NOSE DIVE!)

Not-So-Crystalline Couplets (with Pearl in Chandelier) !

December 29, 2011

20111229-031601.jpg

At dVerse Poets, Gay Reiser Cannon has posted a wonderful “form for all” article on different types of couplets.  I confess my preference is for the “heroic” (an iambic pentameter couplet, which feels most traditional to me).  But Gay is more wide-ranging, and brings up a new form called a “Crystalline:”  a modified haiku (17 syllables) compressed into two crisp lines. 

Ideally, it seems that the form requires a certain focus on visual imagery.  I couldn’t quite do the visuals, opting instead (as almost always) for the slightly silly.

I have re-posted the image above because it shows my dog Pearl  in a “crystalline” setting.  

Not-So-Crystalline Resolutions (for 2012)

 I could resolve to lose some weight,
(Though science implies that’s not my fate);

Or I could vow to work, work, work,
(Though the thought’s enough to make me shirk.)

I SHOULD be mindful of every act.
Ha-ha, hee hee…um…what was that?

No–if I’m honest, it appears
that this will be like all other years,

In which I’m me, myself and I,
no matter, no matter, how I try.

 

P.S. For the lightening of a heavy heart through a fun quick read, check out NOSE DIVE, by Karin Gustafson, illustrated by Jonathan Segal.

Work Product of Heavy Procrastinator (Long form Tic Tac Toe?) (Animation)

December 14, 2011

I post the above to show what a really determined procrastinator (with an iPad 2) can get up to.

Also to clarify that I really am not much of a perfectionist.

The above is not one of my better animations.  I did the whole thing, as they say, a– backwards.  Meaning that I didn’t consider what I was doing at the beginning and had to go back and fill in frames without the help of the “ghost” images of my animation app.  This method doesn’t work well and yet managed to take up an inordinate amount of time, much of which was to be spent cleaning my apartment to make room for guests and tree.

Oh well, I still have room in the closets.  (For the clutter, not the tree. Or guests. Sheesh.)

(P.S. if you like silliness, check out NOSE DIVE, novel by Karin Gustafson and Jonathan Segal, for a higher level of it.)

Nanowrimo Begins – No More Excuses! I mean, Yes, An Excuse!

November 1, 2011

Lappup?

Today is November 1, the beginning of National Novel Writing Month, a/k/a Nanowrimo.

Nanowrimo is a very fun program for people who want to kickstart their writing.  It provides three very important elements for the struggling writer: a deadline, a community, and, most importantly perhaps, an excuse.

By “excuse”, I mean a reason to give novel writing priority, as in “oh I’m so sorry, I can’t possibly cook the turkey–I have to finish my nanowrimo!”

I have participated in Nanowrimo a few times.  (Luckily, my daughters are great cooks.)  And actually, amazingly, I am about to publish a book that was first written in a month of November.  It is called Nose Dive, and like Nanowrimo itself, it’s a lot of fun. (More on this as the book comes out!)

However, I have also accumulated a number of unfinished manuscripts.

This Nanowrimo month, I am hoping to finish at least one of those.

In order to do this extensive rewriting–which is frankly kind of painful–I really have to force myself to focus, which should mean cutting down on the blogging.  (A relief no doubt to subscribers.)  I’ll probably still post some short things for the communal sites, like dVerse Poets Pub. (You see, I’m already waffling.)  But I really am going to try to force myself to focus on my bigger projects.

Thanks for any good wishes coming my way!  And thanks so much for past support.

 

 PS – if you are from dVerse Poets Pub, the link I posted for Open Link night can be found here.

Not a Happy Trickster

October 31, 2011

20111031-113256.jpg

“Here, Body” (The Body Is Not Your Good Dog.)

October 25, 2011

20111025-121306.jpg

I’m sorry.  There is an incurable goofiness about some of my drawings.   I did this one (based on Leonardo) for the recently revised poem below.  It is quite a serious poem and not really much about dogs, so forgive me for being misleading.

The poem is being posted for dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night (Tuesdays) hosted by the wonderfully generous (and thankfully, humorous) Brian Miller.

Here, Body

The body is not your good dog.
It may sit, lie down, roll over,
but there’s a limit to its Rover
aspect.  No spank
will keep it from
accident; no leash
train it to the right; no yank
make it heel
feelings.

You tell it what to want, but
it will vaunt
its fleshly, furry ways,
sneaking food when already fed;
taking up all the room on the bed;
whiffing what should not be sniffed;
its passion aimed at but a toy–
here, girl; here, boy–
that can never love it back.

It will decay
though you say stay. Still,
you will love it,
this not-good dog;
for even as you scold and cajole,
call,
and despair
of calling,
you will find yourself
cradling it;
you will find yourself
in its arms.

Poem by The Other? (who wants some cheese.)

October 22, 2011

dVerse Poets Pub, a wonderfully supportive website for online poets, has a poetics prompt today about writing in the voice of the other (hosted by Mark Kerstetter).  I have one very serious poem written from a very different perspective (the poem’s called Honor Killing.)   But the world is such a somber place these days, I wanted to focus on something lighter, i.e. a dog! And cheese!

So here’s the poem.  And below is a little fledgling animation I did some time ago which does not exactly illustrate the poem, but is close enough.  (Have a great and light Saturday!)

Sniff Becomes Him 

Sniff cheese sniff cheese sniff cheese above,
Sniff that pungent sniff I love. 
Sniff high faint clouds of that so dear–
Sniff cheese so far and yet so near.

Sniff bowl, oh holy hallowed
Bowl, sniff (howl howl) bowl, so hollowed
Now.  Oh please Oh please
Oh please, Oh please!
Oh wherefore art thou
Phantom cheese?

Sniff time not passing,
(Swiss, Cheddar, Brie?)
Sniff hours harassing,
(Oh my! Oh me!)

A Treat! (for Pete’s sake!)
For him who’ll wait
By door and bedside
Early, late.

Oh whimper/whine, I’ll beg no more,
If you’ll just drop some on the floor.
Egads! Yum Yum!  My thanks for this,
Sweet morsel of a moment’s bliss.

(Repeat till satisfied.)


Pearl! Old Dog Comes Home!

September 15, 2011

20110915-115217.jpg

My very old dog is back home tonight in the City. She has been in the country for several months for a bunch of reasons, but mainly to escape the heat.

She has a very nice life in the country–grass, dirt, trees, more grass, plenty of affection.

But she was raised in the City and home is home. Not just where the heart is, but where the memories of the heart are.

Also a lot of interesting smells.

A Small Dog Is To A Large Zucchini

September 2, 2011

20110902-081617.jpg

A Small Dog Is To A Large Zucchini

A small dog is to a large zucchini
what a bungalow is to a road (six lane),
what a tadpole is to a Peach Bellini
made from a magnum of Champagne,
what a thimble is to a Fred Fellini
and miso soup was to Charlemagne–
the nexus, to some, seems very teeny,
to others, perhaps, it’s simple, plain.
All I know is that my large zucchini
and my small dog just aren’t the same.

(As always, all rights reserved.)

Sentimental heartwarming post (i.e. Canine)

August 22, 2011

20110822-104705.jpg

20110822-104721.jpg

20110822-104743.jpg