Coming To Terms With Dogs Poem by Asher Proschansky

At the start my way older cousin brought over her dog
Handed me a leash and into the back yard we went
Which back yard led to the woods

I was very young and the dog pulled me, furiously
as I now believe a Cocker Spaniel should, I guess
it was because I was young and afraid to pull back
For fear of choking the dog, headed for the trees

My daughter wanted animals so we had pets
First guinea pigs though fragile then dogs
Could not give them a pill and close their mouths
Did not know how much pressure to supply

But my daughter was not so hesitant
And seeing my hesitancy she loved the dogs all the more
I could not love them though I believed I should
Volunteered at a kennel and hardly tried

But eventually I saw they were not so different than me
They need food and water, and a nap here and there
They do not want their chain pulled, and they eat fowl
They like a belly rub and are happy to see folks
They bark when they are hungry and see something to eat
That is out of reach
They are wary of strangers, and bark out loud
They protect human beings and fight for affection too
They are weary of going to the vet,
and come to think of it I have a doctor's visit way over due


In time I don't think I'll know
how to deal with them
When I get to know them better
And come to think of it,
Tomorrow I'll go to the kennel
and walk a whole bunch
Maybe they have something more to say
Though it would be easier if they just talked!
As would it be easier if I talked more too!