Black Dog

as it is

A black dog has

        clawed the string of my heels,

        followed my eyes

        heavy with dark corners,

pushed me over the fence

        down the path,

        broken with stones,

        cruel with gravel

and chased me into

        the shallows

        where I hit the tide

        with the flat of my hand.

Reviews

[Valentine]

Closest I ever came to seeing that black dog was when my husband was so ill. Valentine

[s y e]

Wow, Leslie, this is tremendous. I love the vivid imagery and powerful word choice you have used here, absolutely a spectacular poem! :-)

I agree with Jacob here.

[Tina Kline]

Very well written poem. Love the imagery. It's as if the person is being haunted by something dark and unpleasant. Memories perhaps. I enjoyed reading this!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

you create such vibrations with your writings...that black dog much like a white elephant chases us, never lets up...and when we get slammed against the tide of life...it is such a slap.

j.

[Coyote Song]

Very impressive writing. I can see what you describe as I read it. We all of our 'Black dogs' plaguing us, chasing us, and sometimes terrifying us.

[Ken Simm.]

I know what I call my Black Dog and this more than covers it. It takes such skill to create with such intelligence and empathy. Thank you.