DOGS DON’T GO TO FUNERALS « April Halprin Wayland

DOGS DON’T GO TO FUNERALS
by April Halprin Wayland

Dogs don’t go to funerals.
They follow behind ghosts,
sniff empty slippers,
tilt their head in question,
pause to gnaw fleas
between the toes of a paw.

They note how quiet it is—
no steps creaking across wood floor,
no smack of closed front door
no rustling in the kitchen
putting soup, cinnamon
and kibble on shelves.

Dogs seek out
the round, red rug of the den,
turn around three times,
rest their head
on their paws,
sigh.

Poetry Prompt:

Sometimes the most effective way to show sadness or that someone is missed is to come at it sideways. Maybe no one parks in that parking space anymore. Or the cheese grows mold because the missing person was the cheese eater. I liked playing with the sound of words in this one. And for some reason, I always love words that have an “s” sound at the beginning, middle or end.

It’s your turn. Who do you miss? What is different because that person has moved or died or is no longer in your life? Consider using words that sound like the the mood you want to create. Splash around a little…draw outside the lines!