Canine Kiss Of Caution Poem by Aniruddha Pathak

A dog came to me one late languid eve uninvited
On a sultry hot and cloudy summer day,
A full-grown mongrel in his prime, darkish grey,
He came as if on date on his own decided.

And scaling the compound wall he came,
Not through the main gate as guests come,
Nor side gate as friends, neighbours—some,
He leaped— long legs, bushy tail, and lithe frame.

But looked agitated, confused, afraid,
And seemed to be in a tearing hurry,
I thought of giving him a piece of bread,
But he rushed straight to the closed gate in a flurry.

Fine, he came uninvited scaling wall,
He still, I thought, hoped for a proper welcome,
Like neighbours, birds, insects and all,
He came quiet, beating no drum.

Nor craved welcome, but rushed to and fro
From the main gate to the side gate,
Mute I followed his path to toe,
And scarce could match his maddening gait.

It soon looked like a game of catch-me-if-you-can,
Now catching my trousers' sleeves, now leaving,
Me chasing, but overtaking he ran,
He jumped all over me short of hurting.

If a play, it was getting rather grim,
His mental state catching up with me too,
The agitated, confused, afraid him,
Was it play, me his game? I had no clue.

I succeeded then to open the gate,
He bolted out dissolving in the dying day,
This dog that came as if on a courtesy date,
And left, send-off, nor parting last say.

Like people dropping in— just-like-that,
I soon forgot it all that he ever came,
That, like them, he was pushy like a pussy cat,
I could scarce yet gauge his gag, nor his game.

As some visitors leave a telltale mark,
He too left his toothy red on my feet,
His bite as a token kiss was too stark;
Beware of dogs that never bark, but kiss to greet!

Poor soul, his innocent greetings were not welcome.
Somehow I feel so sure he meant no harm,
Unlike many, he behaved well, though not at home,
Though confused, he carried with him an old boy charm.

But man in this time and day, cannot a chance take,
And seek a sound sleep hoping all be well,
Modern man is baked cautious like a cake,
‘What if' in life casts a devil of a spell.

And so, the doc would have none of my pleas,
‘Friendly or no, dogs' kiss can scarce be kind,
‘And no short cuts, a full course of pricks please
‘Beware you deal with dog's teeth left behind.'

Yea, I'd prefer any day dog's worst bark
Than the kiss of caution they leave behind,
This one, may god bless him, did leave his mark,
If not friend, sure was not a biting kind.

The gift he left with me was sure unintended,
Like a kiss that leaves love marks tinged with red.
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This piece based on what happened, has 14 stanzas, all quatrains, with no fixed syllabic length. The meter is loosely iambic.
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Reminiscing | 05.10.08 |