Saturday, October 12, 2013

A Moment of Reckoning






















It was well after dinner and a few Merlots
when I decided to stretch out on the rug.
My nine year old Shih Tzu, Max, had denied
my most wonderful offering of human food,
Pot Roast and Mashed Potatoes.

He went ape over it last night
when we had guests for dinner
but tonight I was cooking up
something else and he did not want to eat
luscious leftovers, even though any other
animal would have devoured them.

When he does this "rejecting thing" with me
I must admit . . . I DO become the animal
I say things I cannot repeat but
harbor in my sorrowful Dog Mother heart

So I lay there on the carpet
deep breathing and telling myself
Max is not a human, I can't give in!
And then he comes to me with his white fluff 
fluffing and his big brown eyes all full of fun

rolling and pressing his head on mine
wagging his tail, hopping away and then
rushing back to nibble my ears
panting wildly

and I surrender once again
to this little creature who must have been
human once , I'm sure . . . but not now!
And I remember how brief his life will be
and it is I who must give into
this moment of reckoning and meet him
halfway barking and wagging on the bridge. 

Joanne Cucinello ©2013

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