Poem: The Resemblance Between Your Life and a Dog

The Resem­blance Between Your Life and a Dog
–Robert Bly

I nev­er intend­ed to have this life, believe me–
It just hap­pened. You know how dogs turn up
At a farm, and they wag but can’t explain.
It’s good if you can accept your life–you’ll notice
Your face has become deranged try­ing to adjust
To it. Your face thought your life would look
Like your bed­room mir­ror when you were ten.
That was a clear riv­er touched by moun­tain wind.
Even your par­ents can’t believe how much you’ve changed.
Spar­rows in win­ter, if you’ve ever held one, all feathers,
Burst out of your hand with a fiery glee.
You see them lat­er in hedges. Teach­ers praise you,
But you can’t quite get back to the win­ter sparrow.
Your life is a dog. He’s been hun­gry for miles,
Does­n’t par­tic­u­lar­ly like you, but gives up, and comes in.

From Eat­ing the Hon­ey of Words