A Dog’s Life

When you can’t work out why,
when things aren’t wrong,
they’re just not right
and you bark at the moon
, being so far away

When the reflection isn’t you,
just an older, faded shadow
and the eyes staring back, weary,
another day of hindsight
not the same as looking forward
fresh, sharp as a hound

Could I just drown those sorrows
without the calories, today
or the guilt, tomorrow
breaking that resolution
try, be a better bitch?

Maybe, be kind to this
for a change?
instead of feeling life
just creeping past,
on its belly, jaded bone
after bone

A body that grows now
every place it shouldn’t
betrays intent
, to slip
a tail that wags
because it can, then couldn’t

Tried natural remedies
the playing fields, as young
as the dog you feel?
want to be wanted, but,
when off they trot, as always do
the empty space returns
, hollow, with a vengeance

So remember, new life, young life,
the cute puppy face
is just for Christmas, and,
maybe birthday cards.
Old is for Easter.

If you’d like to find out a bit more about this poem, click the link to the page “Explained” which shines a light on the background to each poem, or helps you to understand what the heck’s going on if you’re a bit baffled!