Happy Birthday, William Wordsworth!

It is Tootsie Tuesday & William Wordsworth's birthday!

 

Renee here: I'm thinking of all those years my dad was quoting William Wordsworth, and how I didn't realize it until I got to college.

 

So I phoned Dad: "Hey, you've been quoting Wordsworth since I was little!"

 

Dad's reply: "Yup." (Tootsie's grandpa is the best!)

 

 

Paws & Books: Katherine Riegel's LETTERS TO COLIN FIRTH

We love Katherine Riegel's LETTERS TO COLIN FIRTH. It won the 2015 Sundress Publications Chapbook Competition! I'm currently taking a writing course from Katie Riegel online, and it is fabulous; you can find more information here. 

💜📚✏️🐾🐾

Paws & Books: Deborah Poe's KEEP

KEEP is a beautiful new poetry book by Deborah Poe--published by Dusie Press and available here.

"there is a reason to resist home / over and over windows burst wide open"--Poe

Last year, I interviewed Deborah Poe for Assay: A Journal of Nonfiction Studies. That interview can be read, here.

BAD HARVEST by Dzvinia Orlowsky

BAD HARVEST by Dzvinia Orlowsky is a gorgeous poetry book (Carnegie Mellon University Press). Total paws of approval. We love it.

 "Hope was a thing with pink feathers / circling Olympic ice."--Dzvinia Orlowsky

Dog Songs: Poems by Mary Oliver -- Paws & Books

Many people love Mary Oliver for her beautiful poetry and wisdom. If you know her work, did you know she loves dogs? Not a surprise, right? This book of dog poems was a gift from our dear friends The Schnoodles, Cookie & Zippie. In some of these poems, Oliver speaks directly to her dog(s). They have a conversation. It's great to read these reflections, because sometimes it can feel like a dog's mind is beyond the scope of human perception.

A few years ago, at a poetry reading, several poets made fun of Oliver's work--and the audience laughed. Perhaps Oliver's sincerity is suspect to some. It shouldn't be. (Or maybe there is some poetic issue about her work that I don't understand.) Oliver knows the natural world and records it beautifully. I'm not sure that Dog Songs is up to the level of her most beloved work, but it is a special read, especially for dog lovers (like me).

If you are a writer, her poetry handbooks are incredibly useful. I love Rules for the Dance: A Handbook for Writing and Reading Metrical Verse, but A Poetry Handbook: A Prose Guide to Understanding and Writing Poetry is useful for craft suggestions and prompts.

You can listen to Mary Oliver read a poem from Dog Songs here.

There is also a marvelous interview with Krista Tippett over at one of my favorite radio shows, On Being. (& a picture of Oliver with one of her doggies!)

Paws & Books: "Neighbors" by George Held and Joung Un Kim

NEIGHBORS: YARD CRITTERS

Book One

Poems by George Held

Pictures by Joung Un Kim

Published by Filsinger & Co Ltd

The first in a series, this is such a smart, fun, beautiful, and engaging book of poetry and pictures! 

It's a perfect gift for young and old alike. We've given the whole series to our nephew Aghi.

Paws & Books: "Dog Songs" by Mary Oliver

Dog Songs

(The Penguin Press)

Mary Oliver

Listen to Mary Oliver read "Little Dogs Rhapsody in the Night" here.

Extra special thanks to our friends Zippie & Cookie, Jenn & Mallory for giving us Oliver's Dog Songs. Tootsie is dreaming about all the dog songs she will sing.

Paws & Books: "Wander" by Sara Blackthorne

Wander

(Paper Lion Press)

by Sara Blackthorne

Sara Blackthorne's Wander engages the moments of our lives to explore how we fully inhabit the center of our hearts. A series of photographs and prose, this gorgeous chapbook is published by Paper Lion Press. You can purchase a copy here.

Sara Blackthorne runs a fantastic podcast -- IN HER ROOM. You can listen to Renée (Tootsie's mom) & Sara's conversation here.

Sara Blackthorne is a compassionate, smart editor and provides editing services here.

Paws & Books: "Needle Makes Tracks" by Danna Ephland

Needle Makes Tracks

by Danna Ephland

Published by Dancing Girl Press

Quotes from Danna Ephland's poem "The Resemblance is Remarkable":

"Needle's dog wears progressive lenses / 
& a pink collar."
....
"It's not complicated she barks, every day /
on the way out the door, on the way in."

Congratulations, Danna, on your beautiful chapbook. We love it!
xo Tootsie & Renée

Paws & Books: "Some Girls" by Janet McNally

Some Girls

 by Janet McNally

(White Pine Press)

Winner of the 2014 White Pine Press Poetry Prize

Paws & Books: "the last will be stone, too" by Deborah Poe

the last will be stone, too

(Stockport Flats)

by Deborah Poe

From "death mix" by Deborah Poe:

leaf-green heart of shadow looks at itself

there comes a stillness, comes this storm

which crossing awakens?

Grandpa's Snow Limerick for the Down Low

In choosing one's path through the snow

It is wise to explore why you go

'Cuz when cold and tired

Or otherwise mired

It's best to be with those you know

--by Tootsie's Grandpa, BGD.

As Grandpa says, "A Great Dane would have a very different snow experience." Here I am with Mom and Grandpa in Idaho.

Emily Dickinson's Birthday

Many years ago, Mom and Truffle (my fur brother) visited Emily Dickinson's light. We're posting this photo in honor of Emily Dickinson's birthday, which is December 10th! You can find some of her poems at The Poetry Foundation.

Guest Post: A Day in the Life of a Wire-Haired Dachshund in India

by Ms. Champi
(as told to Minal Hajratwala)

7:30AM – My cook arrives. Go to kitchen to supervise cooking of mutton, rice, daal, carrot.  Gaze up lovingly at her.

Note to self: Do not bite the hand that feeds me.  Even though it would taste so nice and muttony…

8:15AM – Nap #1 of 7.

9:00AM – Human awakes. Morning ablutions for all, followed by sunbathing.

9:45AM – Human leaves for work.  Exiled to sky terrace.  Paw at door in protest.

Note to self:  Consider going on hunger strike, à la Gandhi?

Note to self:  Scratch that.  Terrible idea.

10:00AM – Defend territory from birds, branches, strong gusts of winds, and occasional simians.

11:00AM – My maid arrives.  Supervise sweeping and dusting. Bark vehemently if she tries to steal my toys or chew-bone.

Note to self: Servants cannot be trusted. Vigilantia Aeterna! 

1:00PM – Nap #2 of 7, soon followed by Nap #3 of 7 and, shortly thereafter, Nap #4 of 7. 

Note to self: Speak to groundskeeper about installing deck chairs and personal paddle pool.

In between – Attempt to escape.  If successful, visit human's brother in 4th block.  En route, visit smoothie dachshund on floor below.   Sniff all over and mark territory.  This block belongs to me!

Note to self:  Ad victoriam! 

4:00PM – Evening duty.  Begin listening keenly for my human’s car. Run in circles. Stand at window and try to look out. Why is this window so high?  Why does it have curtains anyway???!#$

Note to self:  Prepare PowerPoint presentation for housing association Board about lowering all windows to dachshund height.

5:00PM – Greet human.  Begin daily exercise routine:

Lick human’s toes.

Run up and down whole length of flat. 

Run in circles.

Roll on tummy. 

Lick every available part of human.

Don’t forget stretching: downward dog and upward dog asanas.
Lick own toes.

WHEW!

Time for Nap #5 of 7.

6:00PM – Nudge human and look hungry.  Look at bowl; look at human.  Look at bowl; look at human.  Repeat as necessary. 

Supervise scooping of food into bowl.

Eat! Yummmmmmm!

Nap #6 of 7.

8:00PM – Human mealtime.  Sit near table.  Look hungry.  Gaze at human and practice mind-control techniques:   “Feed me…  Feed me…  Feed me…”  

If non-veg, stand on hind legs and cry. 

In extreme cases (KFC, mutton biryani), apply advanced barking techniques until human succumbs to mind control.

Note to self:  Yum!  Bones!  Crunchy!

9:00PM – Nap #7 of 7.

11:00PM – Evening ablutions.

11:30pm – Finally, after long hard day’s work, climb into bed and get some rest.  Supervise fluffing of pillows.  Drift off to dreamland.  Zzzzzzzz…! 

Note to self:  Adopting these humans was the best decision I ever made.

A special note:
Champi would love our readers to check out her mama's publishing collective. It's a wonderful campaign. Thank you so much for following the link to The Great Indian Poetry Collective.

All photos this page -- of fabulous Ms. Champi -- are by Lakshmi Shubha.

A Limerick from Grandpa!

Grandpa wrote me a limerick to celebrate my love of cawwots.

CAWWOTS

You may ask why they're such a big hit
Why not cabbage or fruits without pits?
But stop to consider
How this dog is configured
It's just that they're a much better fit!

Thank you, Grandpa! More cawwots & limericks, please!

Love,
Tootsie

Rudy, Spanish Omelettes, and García Lorca

During his recent wanderings in the Sierra Nevada region of Spain, Dachshund Daddy met Rudy, who was hanging out with his grandpa at Bar Restaurante Galvez in the mountain town of Lanjarón.

Rudy takes good care of his grandpa, who rescued him several years back.

Every time another dog walks by Bar Galvez, Rudy darts outside to ensure that his pee spots are accounted for.

Bar Restaurante Galvez makes great Spanish omelettes, Rudy reminds us. But be sure to ask for a tortilla de patatas, as they're called in Spain.

Rudy is also a big poetry fan, and reminds us that his home town of Lanjarón has many fountains with quotes from Federico García Lorca, Spain's greatest gift to 20th century poetry.

Struggling under the weight of the shade

a spring was singing: 

Calm and gloomy,

I heard the songs of the water.

F. García Lorca 

Rudy is not 100% positive about DD's translation; can anyone help?

William Tell and Rossini

Inspired by yesterday's post about William Tell's Chapel, Grandpa wrote a new limerick:

Since long ago when I was weenie
I confused William Tell with Rossini
I felt sweet, swinging bliss
When I learned he was Swiss
And his dogs were all fans of Puccini.


Did you notice that the dog in the fresco is steering the boat?

Wiggly Woggle

A poem by Grandpa inspired by a morning walk with me and Truffle.

Oh! wiggly woggle of truncated feet!
Oh! doggie of disposition sweet!
Who shrunk your height and length I pray
by snipping away at your DNA?

Dachshund Daddy doesn't really like "truncated feet".



He would prefer to replace it with "gentle webbed feet". After a heated e-mail exchange, Grandpa peremptorily stated the following:

HER FEET BE SHORT.....NO TWO WAYS 'BOUT IT.....I HAVE SPOKEN.

Which version do YOU like best? I can't decide.

Dogmind

I received a poem from my human friend Robens Napolitan. Thank you, Robens!

Robens writes: Dedicated to Tootsie, a tall dog with short legs.

Knowledge

Gained

A

very

tall dog

questions

hydrant height,

lies told by

her mistress,

and

the mismanagement

of most everything

human.

Good dog,

very good dog.

Dogmind 
Collaboration by
Robens Napolitan & Tom Kramer

You can view & purchase artwork by Robens Napolitan and her partner Tom Kramer here. Please click on over and take a look. One of my favorites is Dogmind, which you see above. We bought a print of this one. Mom thinks "Spot" shares my sweet sassy look; do you agree?

Lives Bicontinental

Grandpa wrote me another wotten-waven poem, and Truffle helped him.

Here is Grandpa's poem:

On pondering lives bicontinental
One hazards thoughts too sentimental
At times it may seem
We're on a split screen
One real -- and one "pixentimental"

We need a title! Any suggestions?