Perceived Miracles

I walk in the door,
my dog is there to greet me,
wagging his tail furiously
whilst sniffing around my shopping bags

He has that suspicious, perplexed
look on his face ,
one I’ve seen so many times before

I know what he’s thinking:
how the hell do I regularly come home
with a fully cooked chicken in a bag,
Yet he cannot find so much as a stale roadkill
when I bring him for a walk?

I look back at him, incredulous too…
do you really think chickens
just immolate themselves,
then jump cooked
nice and juicy into a bag
for me to pick up along the street?

He’s still anxious and perplexed
as I dole out his share
Imperceptibly, our curiosity
and suspicion of each other evaporate,
as we polish off this beautiful creature

Soon I’m licking my fingers,
and the real miracle happens
when I say,
“Hey Siri! Put the TV on channel 8,”
and on comes the sports news

The dog too is thoroughly engrossed,
licking his — erm — himself.



# precious little words always say more ~ just never in the way we think #
Copyright © | Year Posted 2022

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Eslinger Avatar
January 23, 2023 at 9:48 AM
David, me again…i feally doubt our dogs wonder abtour bring bags of food in. They do certaininly want to swiftly pursue the scented/seen backyard prey here. I DO catch their wonder & angry, yes angry, barks when i hold up my hand in the open”all gone” signal. You mean you can’t actually go find more?? Hmmm… This is a wondering piece, provoking thought, reflection,observation, dialogue Not to me tion great fun! xox. sally
Kavanagh  Avatar
January 23, 2023 at 12:05 PM
I enjoyed writing this one Sally, from my own personal experience and interacting with the dog, I’m delighted you see the fun side, and more importantly the bigger picture of how human intelligence is on a completely different plane than all other life forms, cheers David
Rodrigues Avatar
October 28, 2022 at 7:56 AM
They accept what we give them as if money grows on trees ;)
Kavanagh  Avatar
October 28, 2022 at 8:49 AM
And if money grew on trees Kim, they would walk straight past it after relieving themselves, mutts indeed, cheers David
Kriticos Avatar
October 27, 2022 at 5:51 PM
Very cute and endearing poem which I actually found to be quite a deep thinking verse.
Kavanagh  Avatar
October 28, 2022 at 8:46 AM
Indeed Kyle, it says more about the human condition than my dog’s, who is a horse and would eat anything, thank you for stopping by, cheers David
Kyser Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 7:43 PM
Chickens immolating themselves cracked me up, so I wrote a poem about it in your honor… enjoyed this, obviously
Kavanagh  Avatar
October 25, 2022 at 12:33 AM
I’m truly honoured Jeff, and the dog is cool with it too, wagging his tail, mind you I’m having leftover Buffalo wings for breakfast, cheers David
Flaherty Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 12:28 PM
Winner winner chicken dinner Licking erm they do say everything taste's like chicken Dog man's true best friend
Eslinger Avatar
January 23, 2023 at 9:31 AM
LOL!
Kavanagh  Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 1:08 PM
I know I remember reading his Geordie antics, A hilarious comic strip
Flaherty Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 12:59 PM
That was a Viz Sid the Sexist joke Suck my Cokadoodaldo it's foul
Kavanagh  Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 12:33 PM
Yep everything Foul tastes like chicken, the dogs B X cheers David
Gorelick Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 11:24 AM
Interesting, I bring my Irish setter BBQ chicken from the store while I hunt for squirrels for my dinner! Works out just fine. Loved your story! Robert
Kavanagh  Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 11:38 AM
Mines a golden retriever mutt Robert, he’s a real chicken himself, hides when the postman comes, never tried squirrel, my Dad was a hunter used to bring rabbits home, I stuck with the chicken, thanks for stopping by, cheers David
Romios Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 10:41 AM
Dry picturesque and well done, David. Interesting concepts included, Huggs, Pangie
Kavanagh  Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 11:15 AM
Thank you Pangie, indeed it’s pretty dry, probably the only way I could deliver this one, without boring everyone to death, humor with a lot of food for thought, cheers David
Poet Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 10:05 AM
David, I adore your beautiful writing and want to thank you for making me smile. Because we can care for them, all of our companion animals are acclimated to people. Hunger will reveal their real nature until they may once again roam free in groups. In less developed countries, they were left to fend for themselves and were even hunted if they became hostile.
Kavanagh  Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 10:20 AM
Thank you Lasaad, a humorous one here, but also with a little message for us humans, our minds are so much more evolved than dogs etc, but we too are driven by hunger, only a hair’s breadth ahead of them, cheers David
Anaya Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 8:38 AM
Love your verse. That's all our domesticated pets know, we are masters and only we feed them. Until they run free one day in packs again, hunger will show them who they are. grr
Kavanagh  Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 9:02 AM
You’re so right Anaya, They really do start forming packs esp in poorer countries when abandoned, not quite as sophisticated as wolves, but they figure out how to get a meal, cheers David
Logan Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 8:19 AM
I find myself wondering if dogs perceive us as wizards and witches. How are we able to bring so much food home to share with them, when we don't seem to have hunted for it, or fought for it (no telltale blood on our clothing to show we had to fight tooth and nail for that chicken? You always present food for thought, David, as well as for you and your pup. ;)
Kavanagh  Avatar
October 24, 2022 at 8:34 AM
Ha Yeah brilliant comment Jenna you understand me perfectly, but it only lasts til they’re fed, then doggy insouciance kicks back in, technology blah who cares, cheers David
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