Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Tuesday Poem: Wind Dog


how the wind howls:
an enormous dog with jowls, heaving
its wet sides around the harbour, salivating
on the shore’s lap, pissing
like a bull, nipping
         with sharp teeth,
dare
to open
the door, snap
back as in it sails – all tongue and air and tail
batting and blowing and licking your face
water all over the place

                                      Mary McCallum


Wildly appropriate for the sort of weather we're having. I wrote this poem a few years back but last night cleaning my teeth I thought - bloody hell, it's like a creature out there. And not just wind, dear reader, not just rain, dear reader, but snow - and we live by the sea! 

Earlier in the day in the Wellington CBD, I stood as soft flakes landed on my shoulders and hair. Everyone was so excited, standing outside like children exclaiming.  

More poems on Tuesday Poem here including a lovely poem on memory by Tim Jones at the hub.  

2 comments:

Helen Lowe said...

I love the idea of the wind as a great dog -- but also the other image you conjure up in your comment, of adults outside like excited children, exclaiming as the snow fell in central Wellington.

lillyanne said...

Love it!