Surfaces to scrape or wipe,
a screwdriver to be applied
to slime-encrusted soles, and then
there are the spattered hallways, wadded bedding —
and, in quantities astounding (in the corners,
under furniture, behind the curtains)
fluff and dander spread by curs
the breeder called non-shedding...
It's a dog's life I myself must lead,
day in, day out — with never a Sunday edition —
while they lie around on their couches like poets,
and ponder the human condition.
From Upgraded to Serious by Heather McHugh. Copyright 2009 by Heather McHugh. Published by Copper Canyon Press. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDM3NjYwMjA5MDE1MjA1MzQ1NDk1N2ZmZQ004))