{"id":16554,"date":"2024-04-30T14:04:44","date_gmt":"2024-04-30T19:04:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/?p=16554"},"modified":"2024-11-26T11:50:07","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T17:50:07","slug":"three-poems-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2024\/04\/30\/three-poems-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Poems"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boudin_mcneese\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>RuthAnnI<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Tricia Knoll<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Men in Louisiana grabbed me<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">from the hoarder\u2019s house with the two dead dogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">They called me Ruth Ann. In their shelter they cut<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">open my belly and made fleas go away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Told me I was pretty, but time ran out,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">they\u2019d have to kill me. A woman lifted me&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">into a cage in a school bus full of dogs,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">said we were going to the north country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">She whispered she\u2019d take me if no one else would,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">but I passed through three foster homes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">full of fun dogs and kind women. I shivered<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">a lot. I\u2019m little. Noises are big. Feet are big.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I tested snow. I eat moss and sticks as I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">She, the new one, started calling me Ruth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I decide whether to come or not. I learn<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">to pee where she wants. She gives me<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">good food. I\u2019m gaining weight. I let<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">her other dog call the plays. Now<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">she calls me Ruthie Toothie. So unfair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I don\u2019t bite. I tuck my tail and run away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I fit under her bed. I hide behind curtains.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I hate the road by this house. She tries to walk<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">me to the mailbox but roads whine. Roads<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">and leashes. I know nothing good happens next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Maybe. She puts a blanket over me<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">when I shiver. Over my head. I have a new<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">pink thundershirt and a coat. I dive<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">under her bed. Hide behind white curtains<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">in the big room. She told the other lady<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I\u2019m a scaredy-cat. Unfair. I let her hook<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">a purple leash to me. We walk out<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">back following rabbit tracks in the woods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I pee if she tries to put me in a car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">She leaves door open to her shoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I carry them to the dining room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">She has so many. I don\u2019t chew them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I\u2019m a good dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Ruthie Toothie II<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">None of my dogs came with pedigrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Their short names morphed, became<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">endearments. Pearl to Pearly Girl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Clair to Clara Bell. Shadow to Shadow Badow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">This Ruth is Ruthie Toothie, rhyme<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">in the service of love. She doesn\u2019t bite;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">she flees. I practice slow-down patience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Break events into small pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Two weeks to bring out a leash,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">treats, and invite her to go on a walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Walk <\/em>now lifts her ears. I open<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">the car hatch after that walk,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">sit inside, offer a bit of cheese. She<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">comes toward my outstretched hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A month to get her in the car?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Coco<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">No one wanted you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I was talked into you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A gray-haired married couple, volunteers&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">at the shelter, who knew the months<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">you had hunkered there in a cage<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">and who had called you to their laps<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">convinced me you were special.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">That was before you began to bark<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">at a leaf blowing beyond the fence<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">or fleeting shadows by the door.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You think&nbsp;in exclamation marks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You little terrier face has overtones<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">of teddy bear except for the rat warrior<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">of your genetics which make holes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">in mud irresistible and gave you short<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">machine legs to take it deeper.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">So your misnomer name Coco<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">came from the Chanel lineage<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">of timelessness, the little basic dress,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">your absurdity of girliness.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Once I heard a terrier poem read outloud.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">That terrier, George, loved to curl<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">behind his man\u2019s knees. You disappointed me.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I thought you responded to my warmth,&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">not inherited comfort seeking.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You let me wipe your wired beard<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">of the nettles that stick or the mud that cakes?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You bite. Not good for a little kick-it-away dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Count two men: those working on our house,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">doing good work we need done until you sneak up<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">and grab the back of their pants above the ankle<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">even as I yell. I explain it\u2019s the little ones<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">who are the most dangerous; how little defense<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">you have and how many things shake you<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">into shivers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I never told those old folks or you<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">that I was downsizing, going for a dog<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">I could carry in a purse (you\u2019re too big<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">and too squirrely), but I figure little ones live&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">longer than Danes, and to the extent we keep<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">what we need near us, and hold on,&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">maybe until I\u2019m eighty-five so much<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">the better. Despite your generous flaws.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dedication<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ruthie and Coco, my current two dogs that are little &#8212; because I aged and needed to downsize from the big dogs I had earlier in my life.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/IMG_3155-1-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16641\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/IMG_3155-1-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/IMG_3155-1-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/IMG_3155-1-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/04\/IMG_3155-1-1-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Tricia Knoll<\/strong> is a Vermont poet who has lived with 10 dogs over the course of her life. She&#8217;s working on a poetry manuscript about dogs &#8212; which would be her 10th published collection. Her work appears widely in journals and anthologies. She is a Contributing Editor to <em>Verse Virtual<\/em>. Website: <a href=\"http:\/\/triciaknoll.com\/\">triciaknoll.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2024\/04\/30\/three-poems\/\"> Back<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2024\/04\/30\/shapeshifter\/\">Next <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>RuthAnnI Tricia Knoll __________ Men in Louisiana grabbed me from the hoarder\u2019s house with the two dead dogs. They called me Ruth Ann. In their shelter they cut open my belly and made fleas go away. Told me I was pretty, but time ran out, they\u2019d have to kill me. A woman lifted me&nbsp; into&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[205],"tags":[75,145],"class_list":["post-16554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boudin-april-24-pet","tag-boudin","tag-poetry-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16554","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16554"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16554\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18021,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16554\/revisions\/18021"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16554"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16554"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16554"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}