Puppy-Love
Late-shopping nights, near closing time,
an elderly man flops
on the mall bench facing the pet shop.
In the left window
in drifts of shredded paper,
multicoloured kittens tumble over each other;
in the right: flop-eared rabbits
and guinea pigs like furry wind-up toys.
He fancies none of them.
At both windows the trickle
of laden shoppers heading for their cars
hesitates, women and girls
pitch shrill love-cries at the glass:
O-o-o, arenıt you gorgeous!ı
(The man privately rolls his eyes.)
Weıd love to take you home!ı
But look at the price!ı The central
recessed windows sport puppies:
on one side lapdogs with petulant faces,
on the other Labradors golden,
sturdy, athletic, modestly noble.
Since opening time how many days?
theyıve pressed their puppy-love
against the glass, baulked.
These are the stars price on application.
The manıs wife arrives with her parcels
straight to the Labradors:
Darling, look, arenıt they perfection?
Iıll just ask the price.M-m-m, I see.ı
He rolls his eyes, privately grateful
theyıre unaffordable: Besides, youıve got
your perfect dog already, waiting at home.ı
Sheıd love a puppy too.
Sheıs getting old - ' 'Like me.
So letıs make do with old dog love,
doggedly'
[snapped last week, developed this...by an elderly Max Richards
11pm, North Balwyn, Melbourne]
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