I dreamt I was walking my dogs under the light of the moons.

Posted on 2021-06-01 by Bartholomew Barker

I dreamt I was walking my dogs
under the light of the moons.

The Greater Moon was full—
glowing porcelain above our heads
while the Lesser Moon was a ruddy
crescent setting in the west.

We returned to the backyard and howled,
all three of us, then hunted snipes
until we collapsed in a pile
of dirty paws and panting tongues.

I awoke in a narrow bed— no foot warmers,
no one begging breakfast before dawn.
Felt the pull of a lonely moon
in the still dark night

and howled into my pillow.

(From yesterday’s Living Poetry Prompt.)

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About Bartholomew Barker

Bartholomew Barker is an organizer of Living Poetry, a collection of poets in the Triangle region of North Carolina where he has hosted a monthly feedback workshop for more than decade. His first poetry collection, Wednesday Night Regular, written in and about strip clubs, was published in 2013. His second, Milkshakes and Chilidogs, a chapbook of food inspired poetry was served in 2017. He was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2021. Born and raised in Ohio, studied in Chicago, he worked in Connecticut for nearly twenty years before moving to Hillsborough where he lives and writes poetry.
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24 Responses to I dreamt I was walking my dogs under the light of the moons.

  1. Cassa Bassa's avatar Cassa Bassa says:
    2021-06-01 at 19:01

    Oh that’s very sad and moving. And very relatable in the absence of our beloved friend(s).

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. ivor20's avatar ivor20 says:
    2021-06-01 at 19:42

    Doggone .. I’ve had that dream too .. !!…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. anitashope's avatar anitashope says:
    2021-06-01 at 19:50

    So sad. There is so much love in dogs.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  4. RealityandDreamsWorld's avatar DreamsandReality says:
    2021-06-01 at 20:57

    Wow 🔥

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. JeanMarie's avatar JeanMarie says:
    2021-06-01 at 21:18

    Wonderful poem. Emotional and a nice touch of otherworldly-ness with the double moon.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. Ali Grimshaw's avatar Ali Grimshaw says:
    2021-06-01 at 23:56

    I really liked your second stanza. How fun to howl together before collapsing in a pile
    of dirty paws and panting tongues. It brought to mind a sense of freedom to be what you needed to be.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. Carolyn Crossley VixenOfVerse's avatar Carolyn Crossley VixenOfVerse says:
    2021-06-02 at 08:50

    I liked the juxtaposition of howling, first having fun and collapsing in a pile of dirty paws and panting tongues and finally into your pillow alone. It is so poignant. The moon reference makes it feel between the worlds of life and death. I must admit to having the occasional urge to howl at the moon myself. 🙂❤👩‍🦰❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld's avatar Lisa Tomey says:
    2021-06-04 at 18:06

    What a sad and relatable poem. Takes me back to my own canine loves. How they leave a void.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. Cheryl Batavia's avatar Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet says:
    2021-06-24 at 22:51

    Bartholomew, an exquisite poem…poignant and beautifully expressed. I feel a touch of sadness for the dogs I have loved and lost. Allergies prevent us from having pets going forward. Maybe I should also howl into my pillow! <3 Have a great weekend coming up!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. lorijcollins, I Kissed a Dog and I Liked It's avatar lorijcollins, I Kissed a Dog and I Liked It says:
    2021-07-31 at 13:47

    I love the imagery and emotions you create in this. <3 Usually only a dog-lover or animal-lover will get these words, but something tells me you nailed it for everyone.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. Pingback: I dreamt I was walking my dogs under the light of the moons. — Bartholomew Barker, Poet | I Kissed a Dog and I Liked It

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