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You really do get your dogs don't you, Max, all that 'cross-species connection'. I like also 'sight hound'. The uphill one with its short lines works too as enactments of shortness of breath. 'turn then up' a little odd sounding to me however. Bill On Wednesday, 23 March 2016, Max Richards <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Up Capitol Hill Twice > > 1. Eye and Nose > > While we’re up here, > enjoy the sublime view, > I tell the dog, who, > far rather than > the transcendental > prefers nose-to-ground > fragrances - scents all > that humans frowned > on since time began. > > Look sharp, look round! > You may not verbalize, > but do mentalize! - > those panoramas > outdo these aromas - > in my view, in my eyes, > which are so not-yours. > > Up! share this favorite > bench. Empathize! > Dog’s nose knows? - > to recognize > is truly to know, > real knowledge > re-cognition. > To have been here > some time before > and to know it again… > > Flash of a squirrel - > at last his eye is caught: > Lurch in its direction - > this we can share - > it’s light in action. > Now he’s a sight-hound > like me - outward bound > rather than down-to-ground. > > Across the lawn, up its tree, > where not even eye > can trace it - squirrels > itself away. We subside > into ourselves. Recovered, > we can go back down > together, our jaunty > saunter and swagger > brought on more > by the slope than the sense > we make between us of our > overlapping experience. > > What do I see in him? - > after filtering out projection > (in each other’s good books) - > cross-species connection > familiar yet foreign, > Labrador good looks. > I see a stubborn survivor > of much surgery - liver > and thereabouts - returned > to the life his courage earned. > > What does he see - smell - > sense - in me? Dog knows. > This tolerable Other, > patient big brother, > who feeds and walks him, well > enough, I suppose. > > 2. Uphill Exercise > > Uphill stroll > becomes a plod > > take a right > along the flat > > get breath back > turn then up > > another test > look about > > pause for a rest > exercise eyes > > all those houses > all those styles > > modest or proud > sad ones doomed > > prey to developers > building high flats > > all those gardens > change of seasons > > various blossoms > petals on grass > > old trees shattered > in the last storm > > zigzag to the top > time for a breather > > a park bench - sit > stop stop full stop > > watch for the next storm > what may it take out?