A Dog Lover's Poem: Throw and Chase
Mark Tulin is a baseball fan from Philadelphia, PA. He has four books of poetry and one short story collection, available on Amazon.
The Bond Between Dog and Owner
Is there a stronger connection between an owner and a pet? That relationship is far less complicated than human relationships and with much less drama. Sure, the owner has responsibilities regarding the care and feeding of a dog, but it all seems worthwhile when there is such a loving interaction, like the moments they share on the beach in a game of fetch.
I wrote Throw and Chase after watching dogs and their owners play in Ventura, California. Two words came to mind in their jovial interactions, pride and respect. It appeared almost as if they were made to be together, enjoying each other's company, respecting each other's personality, and forming a prideful bond that transcends place and time.
Enjoy Throw and Chase, and watch my Youtube video of the same title.
Poem: Throw and Chase
I keep tossing the red ball
into the tumbling waves,
and my dog retrieves
and his paws keep paddling
while it seems that time slows,
and we never seem to tire,
but keep our game going
in an endless succession
Throw and chase is our ritual,
a man-dog brotherhood,
our way of staying connected,
sharing the sun-splattered instant
when the morning feels fresh forever,
and the waves never cease
As the seasons pass,
we eventually grow old,
my dog will develop a bad hip
I will inherit my mother’s cataracts
and my eyes too blurry
to play in the bright sunshine
on the damp sands of the beach
We will become two aging comrades
who prefer the quiet of a living room
I will lean back in my lounger,
my dog curled up by my feet
on a throw rug near a space heater,
while we nostalgically remember
my dog so excited by the chase,
and me, more than happy to throw.
© 2021 Mark Tulin