[personal profile] mlr





First saw him
on the street in front, in the
bar's garbage, identifying
unfinished beers and swigging
off what was left of them,
shameless and exuberant,
remarking in friendly fashion
"It's a doggy dog world."
Charming error. He
had little idea of his looks
caught on a brief sill
between youthful lean times
and blowziness to come,
and too unfocused to try
hustling more than beer
and a night out of the rain.
Later, circling vaguely
the bar's deep dark inside,
"Hitched up from New Orleans,"
he said, "Here, wanna feel it?"
It was already out
pushed soft into my hand. It was
a lovely gift to offer an old
stranger
             without conditions,
a present from New Orleans
in a doggy dog world.

                          --Thom Gunn


 

Date: 2010-11-18 08:39 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] holy13nation.livejournal.com
He is someone, criminally, I have never read.
I'm going to change that this very day.
Well, you just did...but now to Amazon.

Date: 2010-11-18 11:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mlr.livejournal.com
:-)

this is from Boss Cupid, i think i like it the best of his books.

Date: 2010-11-23 12:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fitfool.livejournal.com
Never read this poet before but it reminds me that Modern Family had a recent episode where one of the characters also mistakenly thinks that the phrase is "doggy dog world"

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