At your grandmother's house
on the stairs
there was a statue
of a cocker spaniel
medium sized
with bright eyes
that seemed
to follow you
up and down
the staircase
brown
and white
and cream
with that stiff tail
which didn't wag
and you patted
its head
as you went by
or listened
to see if it breathed
or if you tapped its nose
it might bark
and as it didn't
you imitated
a child's bark
and Gran called out
what that's noise Benedict?
you playing
with that dog statue again?
no Gran
you replied
just got a cough
and you went by
the cocker spaniel
giving it a cold stare
and down
in the passage afterwards
you imagined the dog
would follow you down
wagging the stiff tail
giving you
the bright eyed stare
but it didn't come
it just stayed there
icy cool
sans bark
sans waggy tail
and Gran called
come on Benedict
come down now.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Very evocative............................................................: O)