Little puppy
on his first walk
learning how to be
a big dog
cocks his leg
against a tree
to wee
and not having got
the balance quite right as yet
falls over into
his own wee
....oh, Pepe!
Proudly walking by Camden canal
(testing his new adoring masters)
having got the hang of land
and grass and soil and
but still a little unsure
of what water and canal are
he just steps off
into mid air
like a cartoon character
attempting to emulate
Him above
(can dogs pray to God)
walk on water
finds his feet
not there
and hey
what’s all this wet stuff
plunges in
the lead rapidly playing
itself out
until it jerks to a choking stop
and I plunge in
rescue this stupid
little morsel
that used to be a Yorkie
and has now transformed itself
into a drowned rat.
I plop him
down the front of my jacket
carry him home
(his heart beating preciously against my heart)
to his very first bath.
We photograph
him
laugh at him.
He looking like he
is not enjoying any of all this
human fun
at his expense.
It will be a long time before he’s let out on his own.
Guess(though
I never thought)
there’s a lot(even for a dog) to learn
about how
to be
a dog.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Hava-Wava! - playfully composed and very funny about how to be a dog