Friday, July 1, 2011

Seven Degrees of Otis

Been a while, friends~ It's swim team season again. . .

And also, I spent a week working with writer & teacher, Pat Schneider; a wonderful teacher of creative writing. Terrific!

Two days ago, my Dad & Otis were on a play-date - fishing. No kidding ~ Dad texts me & says, "Can Otis go out to play?" This is not unusual. See, my Dad is a dog magnet, & Otis has this steel plate. . .

Here's a poem I wrote while working with Pat Schneider. It says it all:



Seven Degrees of Otis
after Wallace Stevens (& Kevin Bacon)


I
He is the small, bobbling tail,
short-legged-Russell-doggie
love of my life.








II
Most pointedly, the only one: bobbling tail,
that has ever really connected with the true me.


III
Sounds ridiculous, and makes me feel a bit neurotic,
but I truly, surely
love his little spirit.


IV


And he understands me.
I can see it in his
supple brown eyes, fringed with furnishings and knowing.





V

And then there’s Daddy!
Ah! They are just best friends, fishing buddies, snack hounds,
those two.

VI
What does it say about a man,
whose best friend, almost literally,
is his daughter’s dog? Ha!


VII
Funny! So joyful and happy and sweet a soul is my Otis!
God knows what He’s doing, indeed, (and Cesar Millan is right)
matching him with me.



~~
Seven degrees of Otis,


indeed.



~~~

10 comments:

BetteJo said...

Nothing like the love of a pet, is there? Looks like you have yourself a special one there - and your dad too!

Susannah said...

Nothing like it, BetteJo! And Otis is a special pup, that's for sure - and my Dad too. ;)

DUTA said...

Otis,your beloved pup, looks cute and precious like a diamond, and as such he's naturally the "woman's best friend" and also the woman's Dad best friend.

Crucis said...

It reminds me of Mrs. Crucis' relationship with our daughter's Cairn Terrier, Zed. She claims she goes to our daughter's place to babysit our g'kids but I know whom she really is going there to see.

Elizabeth Keene said...

Love this, Susannah! Happy 4th to you and yours!

Anonymous said...

Happy 4th to you and Otis

Susannah said...

Duta! Yes, he's one of my best friends...& one of my Dad's too. ;)

Crucis ~ Cairns are so adorable! If I weren't so in love w/ JRT's, I'd go for a Cairn in a heartbeat - or maybe a Westie. They're adorable too...

Elizabeth! Great to see you here again! You should know about doggies, huh? ;) Hope you & your family have all had a lovely 4th~

Fuzz! Thanks for stopping by! We're having a lovely 4th, indeed. Thank you! We're @ the beach in a condo, where no animals are allowed. Guess where Otis is...? With my Mom & Dad, of course! ;)

Unknown said...

Otis is one lucky dog to have such a loving mommy and grandpa.

Z said...

very sweet, Susannah..
I know the feeling.. I always say my cat, Marcello, was my 'cat soul mate'..! He KNEW ME, there's no doubt about it, we connected. Sounds crazy, but it's true.

If I cried, he'd crawl up on my lap and dab at my tears very lightly with his paws.....
there's nothing that little cat didn't know about me :-)

And they both, he and his sis Musetta, won Mr. Z the dog lover over, too!

Your Otis is adorable, and your dad, too!

Susannah said...

Grandma J~ Thanks so much for stopping by, & the nice words...I'll have to say, though, that we're the lucky ones!! ;)

Z, darling! I never have been a cat person, & now live w/ 2 who are allergic (Mr. Sus & our dau.). So, I guess I'll never know about kitties. However, I can totally get what you mean. Otis does this thing where he smiles at us...His top 'lip' curls up, & his nose crinkles too. He even shows his teeth -- & it's always when he's happy! Funny, funny animal...

And then there's my dad...

Our dau. came in from the school bus one day holding a roll. She asked, "What's this?" w/ the funniest look on her face. Turns out, my Dad had been by our house & left a dinner roll in the door knob -- for Otis. Didn't ring the door bell; didn't call us to say he'd been by. Just left the roll. For Otis. Stuck in the door knob.

Oh boy...