Poetry about Dogs

I love Michael Ondaatje - I didn't realize that he had written so many poems about dogs until I went back and re-read some of his poetry after I got into dogs and was pleasantly surprised! 

Here's some of my favourites:

Postcard from Piccadilly Street

Dogs are the unheralded voyeurs of this world.

When we make love The spaniel shudders

Walks out of the room,

She's had her fill of children now

But the bassett - for whom

We've pretty soon got to find a love object

Apart from furniture or visitors' legs -

Jumps on the bed and watches.

It is a catching habit having a spectator

And appeals to the actor in both of us,

In spite of irate phone calls from the SPCA

Who claim we are corrupting minors (the dog being one and a half).

We have moved to elaborate audiences now.

At midnight we open the curtains

Turn out the light

And imagine the tree outside

Full of sparrows

With infra red eyes.

>From Michael Ondaatje's Rat Jelly

The Strange Case

My dog's assumed my alter ego.

Has taken over - walks the house

Phallus hanging wealthy and raw

In front of guests, nuzzling

Head up skirts

While I direct my mandarin mood.

Last week driving the baby sitter home.

She, unaware dog sat in the dark back seat,

Talked on about the kids' behaviour.

On Huron Street the dog leaned forward

And licked her ear.

The car going 40 miles an hour

She seemed more amazed

At my driving ability

Than my indiscretion.

It was only the dog I said.

Oh she said.

Me interpreting her reply all the way home.

Flirt and Wallace

The dog almost

Tore my son's left eye out

With love, left a welt of passion

Across his cheek

The other dog licks

The armpits of my shirt

For the salt

The smell and taste

That identifies me from others

With teeth which carry broken birds

With wet fur jaws that eat snow

Suck the juice from branches

Swallowing them all down

Leaving their mouths tasteless, extroverted,

They graze our bodies with their love

Birth of Sound

At night the most private of a dog's long body groan.

It comes with his last stretch

In the dark corridor outside our room.

The children turn.

A window tries to split with cold

The other dog hoofing the carpet for lice.

We're all alone.

This isn't Michael Ondaatje, and it isn't about dogs, but it's one of my favourite poems of all time. 

And it makes me very sad every time I read it.

i like my body when it is with your body.

It is so quite new a thing. Muscles better and nerves more.

i like your body. i like what it does, i like its hows.

i like to feel the spine of your body and its bones,

and the trembling -firm-smooth ness and which i will again and again and again kiss,

 i like kissing this and that of you, i like, slowly stroking the, shocking fuzz of your electric furr,

and what-is-it comes over parting flesh....And eyes big love-crumbs,

and possibly i like the thrill of under me you so quite new

from & (1925) ee cummings

I found this on a website and I had to share it here:

DOG HAIKU - anon.   

I love my master;

Thus I perfume myself with

This long-rotten squirrel.

I lie belly-up In the sunshine,

happier than You ever will be

Today I sniffed

Many dog butts-I celebrate

By kissing your face.

I sound the alarm!

Paperboy-come to kill us all-

Look! Look! Look! Look! Look!

I sound the alarm!

Mailman Fiend-come to kill us all-

Look! Look! Look! Look! Look!

I sound the alarm!

Meter reader-come to kill all-

Look! Look! Look! Look! Look!

I sound the alarm!

Garbage man-come to kill us all-

Look! Look! Look! Look! Look!

I sound the alarm!

Neighbor's cat-come to kill us all!

Look! Look! Look! Look! Look!

I lift my leg and Wiz on each bush.

Hello, Spot - Sniff this and weep

How do I love thee?

The ways are numberless as My hairs on the rug.

My human is home!

I am so ecstatic I have Made a puddle

I hate my choke chain - Look, world, they strangle me!

Ack Ack Ack Ack Ack Ack!   

Sleeping here, my chin On your foot - no greater bliss -

well, Maybe catching cats

Look in my eyes and Deny it.

No human could Love you as much I do

The cat is not all Bad-

she fills the litter box With Tootsie Rolls

Dig under fence-why?

Because it's there. Because it's There.

Because it's there.

I am your best friend,

Now, always, and especially

When you are eating.

You may call them fleas,

But they are far more -

I call Them a vocation

My owners' mood is Romantic-I

 lie near their Feet.  

I fart a big one.    

You are my stamp pad
The mud I rolled in makes nice
Patterns on white shirts.

Squirrels, birds, and cats
Run everywhere, taunting me
I must chase them all.

It is morning now
I lick your sleeping face
Wake up - play with me!

I see my human
Thus I must take wing and fly
Is my name "Down, dog!"?

For more AWESOME dog haiku's go to:

Gemma's Golden Haiku Collection

Some other pages on this site!

Why this website exists

What to do when your dog isn't dog friendly

Tips for owners of dog friendly businesses

Local fun things to do with your dog!

Is your dog dog friendly?

Tips for a benevolent alpha