Dog Smells

[Ken_Nye]

I love the way a dog smells.

Ever since I was a boy,
I have loved the smell of a dog's paws,
leathery pads, edged with fur,
that absorb the rich, musty fragrances
of where the dog and I have been
in our adventures together.

I love the smell of the top of a dog's head,
where the fur is smoother than at any other
part of the animal
and is usually cleaner, too.
The top-of-the-head smell is fresher than the paw,
more like the smell of a little boy's hair
at the end of a summer's day in the sun.

I don't mind
the faint smell of skunk on a dog,
(but only if it's faint).
Snuggling down for a nap
with my skunk flavored companion
lying next to me
puts me back in another time,
when the world was new,
waiting to be explored and discovered
by my friends and me and our dogs ;
when the little lame balloon man
was simply another reason to wonder.

[David Nelson Bradsher]

Truly man's best friend. Ken, I love the comfort of your work. The perfect kind of poetry to settle down in a nice chair on a winter day. Damn, I have to work!

[Sherry Thrasher]

I'm with David and he can borrow one of my little terrors any time he wants. I remember the dog haiku series you posted a while back and still have a copy of it. Regarding your poem, I especially like the last two lines and hope that you will also write about the balloon vendor at some point.

Much enjoyed,
Sherry

[LynnDoiron]

Those end lines, Ken, are magical! Glad you're home and on the mend.

lynn

[MichaelFirewalker]

I agree with everyone----the reminiscences of beloved dogs are warming and wonderful, but the last two lines are the poem----they blew me away, Ken----you set us up, man!----here you start with all the peaceful, sweet ease and gentleness of dogs, such a nice comfortable world----then suddenly you blow it all apart with what much of the world really is, a place of suffering, of fear, and pain, a place where we must learn to know, understand, and accept loss----excellent...

michael

[sandpiper]

agreed with everyone, just wrapped me up in doggie love, with a great ending, well done! although I think maybe the ears are softer then the top of the head, at least on mine... (my dog I mean) though I'm not sure I would suggest changing it, for the image of walking up to a dog and putting your nose up to the top of its head is too strong there, and I wouldn't want to see that gone from my readings.

[Ron Wallace (Scotshawk)]

Fine, fine sound, Ken; this is your unique voice coming through in solid fashion. The ending is powerful in its shift from the dog to his ability to take us back. Love it. Ron

[mfwilkie]

This was enjoyable, Ken. I, too, like the smell of skunk, especially in the summer air.

We, two, may be the only ones on the planet who do.

Maggie

[Jarlsbane - Michael Ray Cotner]

I wish I would have read this first before i read the little lame balloon man explanation.... i'm not sure I would have got the reference... reference or not this poem is a special read and you know how I feel about dogs ... wonderful nostalgic memories of a time when a boy and his dog could do anything together... ohhh.. minus the skunk smell lol