up early
(too early?)
to drive into manhattan
and back
before nine o’clock
(and again at 5pm)
all so our puppy
won’t have any
puppies
herself
adopt don’t shop
May 30, 2022
having
this puppy
makes me wonder
what we missed
about Louka’s puppyhood
(most of the time,
when i thought about Louka’s
sad life before us,
i only thought about her having
all those puppies
and not getting to take care of them.
but Louka had a life before motherhood,
as short as it must have been,
and i do wish i could have seen it;
could have been there
to hear her first whines
turned to yips
turned to barks
as she learned how to use
her big boof tool/
or watched her experience
grass
or rain
or pillows
or blankets
for the first time
and how she might have tested
what they were all about—
would she have bitten them
into submission
like this young Computer dog?
or was it just her big snoof
that would have assessed
what needed to be assessed?)
we think
we saw
a lot of firsts for Louka:
first carpet/
first time in the ocean/
first time on sand/
first time hearing and seeing fireworks/
first time on a waterbed/
first time allowed on a couch/
first time living in a house
with a limitless amount of love
just for her
—and eventually
she experienced her firsts
with a puppy-like curiosity,
but there was a lot/a lot/a lot of fear
at first firsts
but then i remind myself:
thunderstorms
were a big fear
of hers,
[did they remind her
of being stuck outside
in a crate
at the mercy of the elements?]
and she’d shake
and cower
and our hugs didn’t help,
and our thunder-shirts didn’t help,
and the only thing that seemed to calm her nerves
was ‘dog calming music’ playlists,
but by the time
we moved to this house,
(13 years after she was born,
7 years after she came into our lives,)
the few thunderstorms
that she saw here,
she didn’t shake
or cower
or look to the sky with panicked fear—
we didn’t even need the dog calming music;
she knew she was safe
with us.
(and i hope she went into dog heaven
knowing she was safe
without us, too.)
May 17, 2022
one thing i had forgotten
until i started staring at pictures
from the first few months with Louka
was a word i experienced for the first time
when helping guide her out of her scared dog shell:
Rewarding.
i remember telling folks:
“i never knew what this word meant,
until i spent six months coaxing the first tail wag
out of her”
“i don’t use this term lightly,
but rescuing
and helping a dog grow..
there’s no other word for it.”
“i always thought this was a dumb concept,
but i understand now
when i look at her
loving eyes”
the heart-full feeling
that i was feeling
when saying
“it’s so rewarding”
catches in my throat
and stutters with tears,
both grateful and grieving,
now that she’s gone…
helping Louka was rewarding,
but Louka herself
was such an amazing reward;
i know i’ll never forget that.
April 20, 2022
there is a Louka
in my heart and mind
because she can no longer be here
by my side
and there might be a little Louka
ghost around this house
running around, causing creaks,
making this space feel less of loss
and we believe there is a Louka
up in dog heaven
who took bits of both her kips
with her for forever
and i know there is a Louka
in each person she met
each heart she touched
and then made melt
though there may be no more
Louka physically here
i don’t think i’ll ever spend a day
without her soul near
March 24, 2022
the dog hasn’t been eating much
and though it might be
old age/
picky taste/
boredom/
sensitive teeths
it could also mean she’s
depressed
(which,
like,
we can barely keep our own depressions
from swallowing us whole,
how can we care for
another being’s mind-demons???)
but
i digress
if Louka is depressed
i’ve decided to do my best
to make her just a little bit
happier
so yesterday
we went on a long, long walk.
i let her lead the way,
and barring standing in the middle of the road,
she was our guide.
through the meandering side-streets
of the north bronx
we were intrigued by smells off of a sports field,
scared off by loud subway sounds,
befriended by a neighbor-acquaintance
(and Louka received many treats
for her good ‘sits’ and ‘high-fives’),
and after we’d walked with them for a bit
we bid adieu
to explore a new street,
a new space,
we’d never been before–
and suddenly
in the midst of a mostly barren
chain-link fenced-in yard
stood a small, plastic bull
at attention
ready to fight
and Louka was ready as well
she sniffed
and stared
and stood her ground
until
a play bow!
a small, playful growl!
a fully formed play bark!
her tail wagged a staggering pace,
her hops and leaps and bounds
unbounded by her
skinny, old-dog frame
as she desperately tried to coax this
non-dog,
non-living,
little plastic bull
to play with her
(a dog who never plays,
not with toys,
or humans,
or even other dogs
unless forced to,
and even then…)
and i watched,
delighted,
damn near crying
because she’s been so sad
so lonely
so tired
so much less energetic
over the last few weeks/months/years
and i saw there a full puppy
happy dog tail
happy dog bounce
happy dog
play
acting like a puppy
(and on National Puppy Day!!!)
so maybe there is hope
and help
for our dog’s depression
and maybe
just maybe
that means the humans’ depressions in this house
might be lessened
just a bit
too.
November 19, 2021
observing
the foster dog
trying to figure out
what she’s thinking
what she’s trying to do
with her nose on the blanket
why she growls at the cat
(is it antagonistic
or trying to get some four-legged creature
in this house
to play?)
i hope
she hears
when we say
“good dog!”
i hope
she understands
when we look at her with love
(i hope
it helps
when i point to where i’m going
so as to not startle her
or make her feel like she’s being cornered)
but mostly
i just want such good things
for this dog
November 14, 2021
two dogs
both alike in dignity
one elderly and wise
one young and scared
both curious
both wary
both better outside than inside
both better with other dogs than humans
both here.
and this human, telling this tale, hopes that they will
someday
be less scary to young dog,
that young dog learns to trust
as old dog has
and someday
that beautiful
60% husky
black and white coat
can shed all over their lap
and be the protector
from all things scary
as they are for Louka now.
but for right now,
young dog,
look to Louka for comfort
be an adventure dog outside
watch the crystal rainbows float along the walls inside
listen to the dog calming music
and please
eat this cream cheese off my pinky
September 14, 2020
[a letter to Louka the dog]
i hope, Louka, you are enjoying this vacation
and you find it a nice respite
from the loud scary traffic of New York
and i hope, Louka, you won’t be too devastated
when, in five days, we go back home
and no longer have forests to explore
and backyard decks to hang out on
and clean breezes to fill your lungs with.
and mostly, Louka, i hope that you do love us
and in everything are having a better life
than your first six years.
September 10, 2020
if only the heavy [pitter]patter of the rain falling all around us calmed down my dog as much as it excites my very being i suppose i shall simply be content in the fact that she looks to us for comfort.
kipventures 