Charles Bukowski

What animals make the best/worst pets?

You may have read (thank you for stopping by) in my posts that I share my life with Patch-the dog. But I also love cats. Fact is I’m a total animal lover.

What follows is a light, gentle poem by quite an interesting character who grew up in Los Angeles …

My Cats

I know. I know.
they are limited, have different
needs and
concerns.

but I watch and learn from them.
I like the little they know,
which is so
much.

they complain but never
worry,
they walk with a surprising dignity.
they sleep with a direct simplicity that
humans just can’t
understand.

their eyes are more
beautiful than our eyes.
and they can sleep 20 hours
a day
without
hesitation or
remorse.

when I am feeling
low
all I have to do is
watch my cats
and my
courage
returns.

I study these
creatures.

they are my
teachers.

Charles Bukowski (1920~1994)

The heartbeat at my feet

What animals make the best/worst pets?

Dogs,dogs,dogs……and more dogs! Having said that if granted enough time on this planet and the opportunity to do so I’d would love to give a good home to a cat and some chickens.

The following was written by Billy Collins in 1998. Twice US Poet Laureate….

*Dharma*

The way the dog trots out the front door

every morning

without a hat or umbrella,

without any money

or keys to her doghouse

never fails to fill the saucer of my heart

with milky admiration.

Who provides a finer example

of life without encumbrance –

Thoreau in his curtainless hut

with a single plate, a single spoon?

Ghamdi with his staff and holy diapers?

Off she goes into the material world

with nothing but her brown coat

and her modest blue collar

following only her wet nose,

the twin portals of her steady breathing,

followed only by the plume of her tail.

Ir only she did not shove the cat aside

every morning

and eat all his food

what a model of self-containment she

would be,

what a paragon of earthly detachment.

If only she were not so eager

for a rub behind the ears,

so acrobatic in her welcomes,

if only I were not her god…..