Puppy
©2014, Vijaya Sundaram
(February 22nd, 2014)
A puppy tumbled into my world.
I am heavy with the weight of her,
Heavy with care, but light with love.
She trusts that we will do right by her
(And how could we not?).
It is a sacred trust, this trust
Of puppies and children.
The trust of dependence
And hope, of helpless love.
In her leaping and silliness,
I find joy and the quick of life.
In her quick eyes and mind,
I find delight and delirium.
In her delicate bones, and
Elegant face, I find pleasure.
In the cleaning and the holding,
The picking up and the cuddling,
In the sleeping and the feeding,
In the sluicing and the drying
Of this pup, simple satisfaction.
So, why am I unsatisfied today?
Foolishly, I think:
What about those other things?
Why not exist in the here, the now,
The growing circle of the
Universe of Dog?
Unselfish love. Selfish pleasure from it.
In unselfishness, I see
A glimpse of selfishness.
And I swim towards it, grasp at it,
Hoping to be saved.
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