Ode To The Joy of Companionship

Pictures tell many stories. This peaceful scene comes by way of one of our readers/customers. The kittens wrapped around their big brother are Simon and Zoe.  I am reminded of a series of poems by Mary Oliver. In them, she speaks of the love and connection she receives by living with her dog, Percy. Many of us feel this way.        
For your pleasure: 

Percy Two

I have a little dog who likes to nap with me.
He climbs on my body and puts his face in my neck.
He is sweeter than soap.
He is more wonderful than a diamond necklace,
which can't even bark.
I would like to take him to Kashmir and the Ukraine,
and Jerusalem and Palestine and Iraq and Darfur,
that the sorrowing thousands might see his laughing mouth.
I would like to take him to Washington, right into
the oval office
where Donald Rumsfeld would crawl out of the president's
armpit
and kneel down on the carpet, and romp like a boy.
 
For once, for a moment, a rational man

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LITTLE DOGS RHAPSODY IN THE NIGHT
(PERCY THREE)

He puts his cheek against mine
and makes small, expressive sounds.
And when I'm awake, or awake enough

he turns upside down, his four paws
in the air
and his eyes dark and fervent.

Tell me you love me, he says.

Tell me again.

Could there be a sweeter arrangement?
Over and over
he gets to ask it.
I get to tell.

~ Mary Oliver ~

Comments

[Pam Wheelock]

Thanks for this great story Margaret! Doggie love is a wonderful rich part of our life-- and I know it is an important part of your life. Heck, anyone who wants a richer happier life should go rescue a dog!

[Margaret Szedenits]

How lovely. I was just reading a little bio of Derek Jackson, an English physicist from the 30 & 40's. He loved his little dog so much. Once he and his wife (the former Pamela Mitford of the famous Mitford sisters) were on the way to Paris from their home in England. Very soon after they left they realized they left all the tickets, - boat & opera at home. So Derek drove back to the house and got the tickets. The front door got left open and his wee dog crawled in to the back seat. Derek returned to the car and started off again. Pam said, you know who is in the back seat now don't you? Yes, he said. So instead of going to Paris for the Opera, they drove to London and stayed at a hotel so the wee dog would not be disappointed as it obviously wanted to join them for the trip. They could not of course take the dog to Paris and back at that time because of the strict quarantine rules of England.