Three poems about puppies: do Kipling, cummings and Nash capture puppiness within the confines of letter and space?
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Poets and puppies
Is it possible to express the delight of a puppy within the confines of letters and space?
I would claim "No." It appears nearly impossible to explode puppiness onto the page within proper verse.
Consider this evidence:
Though brilliant, Rudyard Kipling constrains puppiness within his sentimental, structured poem titled, The Power of the Dog. He claims his loving companion cannot lie
still
though his puppy, in fact, can-- when restrained by line and meter.
Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie --
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Perhaps Kipling's intent was not to express the nature of puppies, but rather to express their subservient role?
Contrast Kipling's presentation with this segment from cummings' A Blue Woman With Sticking Out Breasts Hanging. (I suggest readers click on the link to experience its visual impact, as I cannot seem to get the lines spaced correctly.)
A dirty wind,twitches the,clothes which are clean
—this is twilight,
a little puppy hopping between
skipping
children
Movement and action verbs define both cummings' work and the nature of puppies!
(I know, I know, the possessive cummings is awkward, but so is accurate representation of his work.)
Nothing satisfies like properly puddling pups.
e.e. cummings leaps across the page
who
a)s w(e loo)k
upnowgath
PPEGORHRASS
eringint(o-
aThe):l
eA
!p:
S a
(r
rIvInG .gRrEaPsPhOs)
to
rea(be)rran(com)gi(e)ngly
,grasshopper;
Expressing puppy nature
Poet Ogden Nash did not spread piddles across the page, he produced Essence of Puppy Wiff by eliciting laughter!
The Dog by Ogden Nash
The truth I do not stretch or shove
When I state that the dog is full of love.
I've also found, by actual test,
A wet dog is the lovingest.
Conclusion
When it comes to expressing the poetic nature of puppiness, staid verse remains challenged, though generating laughter certainly brings to mind the experience of being with a floppy eared creature. However, the flexibility of a cummings allows exhuberance to fill the page. One finishes such a read, expecting to be attacked any moment with wet kisses.
Fun reads
 | Rudyard Kipling collection Amazon Price: $9.29 List Price: $21.00 |
 | A Border Collie tries his paw at haiku Amazon Price: $1.49 |
 | e.e. cummings collection Amazon Price: $8.99 List Price: $18.95 |
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Would love to hear about your orange cat! I just love Garfield's attitude to life - especially the eat, sleep and be lazy part! :)
Ours is mostly black with some white. Eyes are blue. She is a recue dog and is still trying to find out who she is.
da, we have Siberian off leash, but they have grown up in that environment. They are lovely dogs! Is yours brown eyed blue eyed? I knew a Siberian named Raisin' Hell who had two eye colors-- she was gorgeous!
I wish our dog had the freedom to chase rabbits and other things. However, we live in the city. Also being a Siberian Husky she can't be trusted off a leash.
Your Garfield might inspire me to tell the story of our orange cat, lol. Do you have one of your own, or is it the cat nature in Garfield you appreciate?
I'm a sucker for animal stories! :)
Will, good idea. It is difficult to leave puppies in a kennel. I look forward to hearing about your travels- or witnessing their impact on your storytelling.
Fe, I did not like poetry until I tried to write some myself and now I have a healthy respect for poets! I really appreciate your comments and your frequent visits of late- makes me want to write more about the little wizard. But first, I need to get The Monk and The Lady...
I have a legendary aversion to poetry, mostly because I can't understand most of it! :D
Animals are delightful little stories, in my book - so engaging! And I just love the names you use for Baxter Thor - Pup Pup, Short Stuff and Pipsqueak! :)
We plan to travel, so no more animals until we decide to call it a day. But then....!
Will, my sympathies. The heartbreak I felt when I held my little black dog for the last time gave me the courage to find this puppy- though it took seven months. The unconditional love of a dog cannot be replaced and is never forgotten. Hugs from the deepest part of my heart, dear friend.
Nothing is more fun than playing with a puppy. It's sheer joy, punctuated by laughter from all parties as the absurdity gets underway.
My dogs and I invented games only we understood and we would play them for hours. Even when my yellow lab was dying from bone cancer, she wanted to play just one more game, so we did. She died the following day, in my arms as the vet gave her a massive overdose of anesthetic.
Now my black lab is dying (dogs die all the time from cancers), but he too still loves to play a favorite game. His is the ‘poison biscuit”, where I pretend his Milk Bone is tainted and he pretends he won’t eat it until I admit that I’m lying about the poison.
He has but days to live.
Storytellersrus Hub Author 10 months ago
da, how sweet a girl and lucky too- wonder who she is? I look forward to finding out.
Fe, Joey is anything but eat, sleep and be lazy! He is a noble hunter-- twenty pounds of solid muscle. Though there are Garfield symptoms, right around the gleaming eyes. I will get to it one of these days, for your sake! Thanks for the inspiration.