Thank you, Patrick

Welcome to Poetry Friday, Today hosted by Christie at Wondering and Wondering. Thank you for hosting, Christie! Stop by for a celebration of the amazing poet and educator Mary Lee Hahn.

This week I went to Gloucester, MA, to dog-sit a friend’s dog named Patrick. I was looking forward to it because I have not cared for a pet in a long time and this was an opportunity to see the ocean and make a new friend. My husband came too and we fell in love with this thirteen year-old golden retriever. Fortunately for us, he had a schedule and all we had to do was follow it and keep him company for a week.

I felt sad leaving him today and I’m back home in Upstate NY, but grateful to have a new friend. I thought he deserved a thank you poem. 

PATRICK
 

 What is it you thought about
 as you lumbered along
 to the park and the beach
 this week?

 Perhaps you contemplated 
 more than sniffing out
 the right grassy patch, 
 
 or if breakfast and dinner
 would clatter into your bowl
 at the right time, 

 I don’t think you fretted 
 about your Diane. 
 She has gone away 
 
 and returned before. You’re old;
 you know what’s what.
 I’d like to live 
 
 in the moment, calm like you,
 eat, sleep, play and somehow,
 make all my new acquaintances

 feel as welcome 
 and appreciated as you do.
  
 ©Janice Scully 5/21

Thank you again, Christie for hosting!

13 thoughts on “Thank you, Patrick”

  1. I love the message Patrick gave you after a week of being comfortable with you both:

    I’d like to live more / in the moment,”
    and
    “make all my new acquaintances
    feel as welcome
    and appreciated you do.”

    Lovely!

  3. I love this poem for Patrick, and that you got the chance to remember the joys of sharing life with a dog! (A gift for Diane, too, to know beloved Patrick was being well cared for.) xo

  5. I’m so glad you enjoyed your week with Patrick. I enjoyed that way your poem turned the relationship around, instead of Patrick thanking you, you thanked him! Lovely! And a week at the shore sounds rather nice, also. Thanks for sharing.

  6. Love this. We just said goodbye to our beloved 13 yo pup. Patrick sounds like a love. I’m so glad you made friends with him. That knowing what’s what is spot on.

  7. What a sweet dog and lovely adventure you had in a perfect spot. The sand and roses on the beach edge remind me of a beach in Weymouth, MA which I love! I like the calm that Patrick brought and you wrote about in the end of your poem, yes to living in the moment, thanks Janice!

  8. Aw, what a sweet poem for Patrick! Thanks for this feel good post that extols the joys of human-pet interactions.

  12. I love your gratitude poem for Patrick, Janice. He embodies everything I strive to be. Oh the things we learn from unexpected (furry and four legged) teachers. 🙂

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