—Public Domain Illustrations Courtesy of Medusa
The Chase Poems
BEGINNINGS
We were together for three-and-a-half years
A friend asked if I wanted a dog;
her landlord had told here she couldn't keep the dog
(even though the landlord had had a much bigger
dog
when they had lived at the house)
I told her
that I would take him off her hands
* * *
PUPPY, BUT NO PUPPY
Everyone who ever met him,
whether at
eight
nine
ten
eleven,
thought he had the energy of a puppy
and were surprised to find out his real age
* * *
SHARING
Whenever I had some fried chicken,
I shared it gladly with him:
he would gobble up everything I gave him
A WALK IN THE PARK
I pass by places where Chase and I
used to walk,
whether
Schafer
Brainard
Mayfield
Lyndhurst,
and I won't get another dog:
he's too hard to replace
* * *
GOOD NIGHT
You would largely lie on the bed,
away from me to be comfortable,
but
when it was time for you to sleep
you would walk to the head of the bed,
stand there for a few seconds,
and I would lift the sheet
so you could crawl underneath,
and there you would sleep in touch with me
* * *
GOOD MORNING
Most people would consider it the middle of the
night,
but every day between four-thirty and five
you would put yourself against my face,
and I would wake up smiling
Every time
I pass by places where Chase and I
used to walk,
whether
Schafer
Brainard
Mayfield
Lyndhurst,
and I won't get another dog:
he's too hard to replace
* * *
GOOD NIGHT
You would largely lie on the bed,
away from me to be comfortable,
but
when it was time for you to sleep
you would walk to the head of the bed,
stand there for a few seconds,
and I would lift the sheet
so you could crawl underneath,
and there you would sleep in touch with me
* * *
GOOD MORNING
Most people would consider it the middle of the
night,
but every day between four-thirty and five
you would put yourself against my face,
and I would wake up smiling
Every time
THE MASCOT
You were the unofficial mascot at the nursing home
The brass loved you
The nurses and aides loved you
The residents loved you
Except for a very few
who shall no longer be mentioned
* * *
THE BEGINNING OF THE END
You went out for a walk
only two days before the end
Did you know the end was coming?
I suspect yes,
because
you just curled up and died
* * *
POST-MORTEM
I wanted to keep you around,
so I had you cremated
It took longer than I remembered
but I got you back
and you'll always be here
_____________________
Today’s LittleNip:
ENDING
—Michael Ceraolo
I would have thought getting him back,
cremated,
would have been the end
But my girlfriend drew a picture of Chase
for me to hang on the wall
and that will be the end
_____________________
—Medusa, welcoming Michael Ceraolo back into the fold after a bit of a break, and many thanks to him for his fine (but poignant) poems. Our condolences to you, Michael, on the loss of Chase.
Over the Rainbow Bridge
For info about
future poetry happenings in
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
(http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html)
in the links at the top of this page—
and keep an eye on this link and on
the daily Kitchen for happenings
that might pop up
—or get changed!—
during the week.
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Poets’ bios appear on their first MK visit.
To find previous posts, type the name
of the poet (or poem) into the little
beige box at the top left-hand side
of this column. See also
Medusa’s Rapsheet at the bottom
of the blue column on the right
side of this column to find
any date you want.
Miss a post?
You can find our most recent ones by
scrolling down under this daily one.
Or there's an "Older Posts" button
at the bottom of this column.
(Please excuse typos in older posts!
Blogspot has been through a lot of
incarnations in 20 years!)
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
Guidelines are at the top of this page
at the Placating the Gorgon link;
send poetry and/or photos and artwork
to kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world—including
that which was previously published—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
future poetry happenings in
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
(http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html)
in the links at the top of this page—
and keep an eye on this link and on
the daily Kitchen for happenings
that might pop up
—or get changed!—
during the week.
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Poets’ bios appear on their first MK visit.
To find previous posts, type the name
of the poet (or poem) into the little
beige box at the top left-hand side
of this column. See also
Medusa’s Rapsheet at the bottom
of the blue column on the right
side of this column to find
any date you want.
Miss a post?
You can find our most recent ones by
scrolling down under this daily one.
Or there's an "Older Posts" button
at the bottom of this column.
(Please excuse typos in older posts!
Blogspot has been through a lot of
incarnations in 20 years!)
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
Guidelines are at the top of this page
at the Placating the Gorgon link;
send poetry and/or photos and artwork
to kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world—including
that which was previously published—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
