THE SWEETNESS OF DOGS by Mary Oliver

[hubag bohol]

What do you say, Percy? I am thinking
of sitting out on the sand to watch
the moon rise. It’s full tonight.
So we go

and the moon rises, so beautiful it
makes me shudder, makes me think about
time and space, makes me take
measure of myself: one iota
pondering heaven. Thus we sit, myself

thinking how grateful I am for the moon’s
perfect beauty and also, oh! how rich
it is to love the world. Percy, meanwhile,
leans against me and gazes up
into my face. As though I were just as wonderful
as the perfect moon.

[islander]

and if by chance i be
given to more imaginings,
percy's full name must
be sir percival. this dog knight
may adore you by the light
of the moon, but
his thoughts wander
all the way to pluto and its
mystery.