One day my father said to the family
‘I’m finally gonna train that dog!’
and dragged our vibrant little Westie
out into a chill front room.
He batted its backside so hard
the dog skedaddled across the carpet;
a billiard ball bouncing off solid oak,
then turned on its belly, a crocodile.
‘Come here!’ he yelled and the little sod
had to crawl along freezing ground
to be yelped again across the room;
by volcano pulses of angry magma.
Age seven, I sat next door
deep in icy romance wondering,
wondering, wondering what the holy
King of Heaven suggested I should do.
:( I know some people with a rescue dog that probably endured that same kind of treatment. It's a sad, listless dog and it will probably take years of kindness to make it less scared of everything. Animals don't understand why people are hurting them, or what they did wrong, so no real "training" happens. And in the poem, if the kid saw that, he'd probably want to help the dog but be afraid that a) the violence might be turned on him, or b) that he should "honor his father and mother" as per his religious beliefs.
ReplyDeletePowerful. Etched like acid on your tiny brain. The same one you have. You took the right path. Your Dad was f#d up. Sorry you had to grow up so fast. mary ps. your dad learned to do that from someone.m
ReplyDeleteSad, But sounds like my Father. Always had to be in control and nothing less.. rest assure they don't always come back wagging their tail, Ours would crawl on their belly to him when he called for fear....JD
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you had to see that. I don't understand why some people love dogs and others think they deserve to be tortured. Love your poems.
ReplyDeleteWhat a stunning and sad poem. I love it, even though it makes my heart hurt.
ReplyDeleteWow. This is a sad one. I have seen similar treatment of dogs, and it never fails to upset me. If this is based on a real childhood event, then at least the past is not doomed to be repeated through the generations. You wrote about it. Maybe the trauma will leave, if is hasn't already.
ReplyDelete