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| ( for example http://youtu.be/YzjCcgAFy8s ) |
They get cold,
They crawl back in the dark
To their blankets.
They think you're cold,
Because you have no skin –
Only jackets:
Layers and layers
Between you and them, but
Slowly, first one, then
Slowly, first one, then
The other, huffs the
Air from you. And we're
All lonely men.
For Popeye (who hugs), Bandit (who tremors), Karl (who presses close), Clarence (who backs away), and all the rest of my boys who half-flee and half-bulge-their-eyes at the prospect of a little company – 2 December 2012.
ReplyDeletehello,
ReplyDeletewhat does:
"slowly, first one, then
The other, huffs the
Air from you"
mean? Are the dogs huffing?
Huff (verb-transitive)
Delete4. [Slang] To inhale the fumes of a volatile chemical or substance as a means of becoming intoxicated.
...ever breathed out deeply near a dog? They snort it like they're tasting your lungs.
This poem reminded me of my two dogs in the winter from the very beginning. One the air gets the crisp sense of fall and the oncoming winter (though it's very mild in southern California) both of my dogs seem revitalized with a new sense of playfulness and energy. I am wondering what you meant by the last line of the poem? I took it to mean that we are all lonely but companionship can ease that pain. Any kind of companionship, but the one granted to you by a dog is a special one. It is unconditional. The person-dog relationship is an interesting one. Dogs love unconditionally and I find that is the beauty of their species. Both of my dogs were rescues and I know that at least one of them was abused, but he still seems like he truly loves my family. When I'm sleeping he's at the end of my bed and when I come home everyday both are jumping up and down for joy. They are truly amazing creatures. I feel like I know the nature of my dogs, but at the same time I also feel like I don’t. The sad fact is that because they were rescue dogs I will never truly understand the influence their past experiences have had on their current behavior. I won’t ever find out why one of my dogs has fear aggression, and it is hard to not imagine the worst. But I think that’s the point of rescuing a dog. To make the rest of their lives as beautiful and loving as possible no matter what.
ReplyDelete" I feel like I know the nature of my dogs, but at the same time I also feel like I don’t. The sad fact is that because they were rescue dogs I will never truly understand the influence their past experiences have had on their current behavior." -- that's what the last line of the poem is about; about the place where a lonely man can connect with a homeless dog (past all the differences, all the mystery between the human and those dogs, they're all looking for love, they're all grateful for company even if they're frightened by strangers: they're all lonely individuals).
DeleteSeeing the word “dogs” in the title peeked my interest. A dog is truly man’s best friend as shown in your poem. In this poem we can see that the dog is willing to give up anything and everything for his or her owner. I fell in love with the line, “because you have no skin -- only jackets” because it reminded of the superficiality of today’ s society. Dogs have nothing, no materials, no money, but they still give everything they possibly can to their loved ones, which is mostly love. This line emphasizes that humans are so infatuated with material goods that they do not give back as much as they should. The caring compassion exemplified by the dog is inspiring to give back more, not just to my dog, but also my whole community. The last line of the poem, “we’re all lonely men” is a dark ending. The “men” have loyal dogs at their side, but their indifference to the dog’s willingness to share causes them to feel an overwhelming sensation of loneliness.
ReplyDeleteYou have a penchant for blanket statements: "In this poem we can see that the dog is willing to give up anything and everything for his or her owner. ... 'because you have no skin -- only jackets' ... reminded of the superficiality of today’ s society. ... humans are so infatuated with material goods that they do not give back as much as they should. ... 'we’re all lonely men' is a dark ending. ... their indifference to the dog’s willingness to share causes them to feel an overwhelming sensation of loneliness."
DeleteI'm not sure what most of these generalizations have to do with this poem -- where the dogs are shy and withdrawn, where the man is trying carefully to get them to come nearer, because he's lonely.
This is a small and immediate poem. If you press and force the whole world into it, you miss the specifics of the moment that make it worth remembering.
I dont know what ultimately attracted me to “Dogs in Winter..” -- maybe it was the length, the interesting spacing, or simply the picture above the poem. Anyway, when I finished reading the poem, I thought about how it feels to need someone-- to crave comfort. The feeling of knowing that you are not alone. The subject and the dog, both lonely, dissolve the difference between man and dog, as seen through the line “After all we are all lonely men”. The frequent use of “they” and “all” show the unification of the man and the dog, despite everything that's in their past, in that moment they need each other. The spacing in the poem, as it comes apart, but ultimately comes back together, hints on their interconnectedness. When the dog “huffs the air from [the man]”, the dog takes in the man’s breath becoming apart of him. The choice of a dog and a man to me played off the traditional “a dog is a man’s best friend”, which played off the codependency they had off each other in the moment that they unite. The end of the poem reopened a wound in my chest, the way I think all good poems do. When you read a poem and something inside you clicks. When I am washed over with waves of memories and hidden emotions that connect me to a poem. Thank you for the poem.
ReplyDeleteThis poem makes me think of the relationship I have with my own dogs. We are so different from each other, yet we are always happy to cuddle and love each other. In a way, I think that it is because we are so different that we have such a loving relationship. One of the only ways I can communicate to my dog how much I love her is by petting and talking to her. There are no misunderstandings or missed signals. It is a very straightforward relationship that benefits the both of us.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis poem reveals the interconnectedness of man and dog, and how everybody needs someone who they can rely on who will remain loyal under any circumstances. Dogs will withstand cold and darkness if it means they get to be near their owner due to the endless love that a dog displays towards his owner. After all, “dog is man’s best friend.” In the poem, the man and the dog both appear isolated in the dark and cold. Even though dog and man have obvious differences, they are able to ignore their disparities and enjoy each other’s company. It is evident that the dog and man overlook their differences due to the fact that were “All lonely men,” so all they care about is being in each other’s presence. Furthermore, when the dog “huffs the air from you” this reveals that man and dog are interconnected because they share the same breath, which emphasizes the “dog is man’s best friend concept.” The two are codependent on each other, as the dog shows love and affection towards the owner, while the owner provides food and shelter for the dog.
ReplyDeleteWhere are you? Why this poem. I know nothing about your connectedness with any of this (and thus men remain "lonely men").
Delete