Linda Ardison’s poetry has appeared in a variety of literary journals such as Concerning Poetry and Poet Lore, as well as the anthology Essential Love: Poetry about Mothers and Fathers, Daughters and Sons.
Last year she won the First Place Award in Poetry at Christopher
Newport University’s annual Writing Conference. After years of working
as a consultant in the Writing Center, York College of Pennsylvania,
Linda retired to Sandbridge, VA, where she enjoys all the poetic sounds
of the ocean. Though her beloved English setter, Maggie, for whom this
poem was written, passed away in March, Linda looks forward to adoring
a new setter, Tess, as yet unborn. Her poem, Remembering That September, has appeared here as part of Contributor Series 1: 9/11.
Hymn for the Innocent
By Linda Ardison
God of the bright brown eye
and silken ears, of sunlight
on white softness in a downy
coat, of moisture dripping
from a lolling tongue and pant
of breath a rhythmic drum
beat at the heart of summer.
God of the cradled head,
the billow of a ruffled tail
aloft in running on a trail
of golden leaves, the scent
of wet fur rising like a prayer
inside my nostrils, careless
quiver of excited haunch.
God of the right, the true,
the real, the blessed, the air
that stirs the instinct to go forth
and point and flush a bird.
Oh wanted and beloved
God of dog and decency,
she praises you with wags,
and smiles her way beyond
the earthly with sharp teeth
that never bit, courageous faith,
unbounded grace, an angel made
for you but given me,
we praise your name, spelled
backward, forward: God
and Dog.
Linda, so strong, yet gentle and loving.
Absolutely lovely, and the end? MY tail is wagging. If this kind of poetry rubs your belly, then check out Unleashed: Poems by Writers’ Dogs (Hempel and Shepard). One of my favorite books – and this poem could fit within its pages easily.
Really good!
In fact, I like this poem so much I’m printing it out and it’s going on my office wall. 🙂