Dog Poetry - the Meaning of Life

I love listening to the Writer's Almanac on Public Radio each day. The other day Garrison Keillor read a poem that made me giggle as I was trying to drive. I'm posting it here - hopefully no one will mind:

The Meaning of Life
by Nancy Fitzgerald

There is a moment just before
a dog vomits when its stomach
heaves dry, pumping what's deep
inside the belly to the mouth.
If you are fast you can grab
her by the collar and shove her
out the door, avoid the slimy bile,
hunks of half chewed food
from landing on the floor.
You must be quick, decisive,
controlled, and if you miss
the cue and the dog erupts
en route, you must forgive
her quickly and give yourself
to scrubbing up the mess.

Most of what I have learned
in life leads back to this.


"The Meaning of Life" by Nancy Fitzgerald from Poems I Never Wrote. © Poetry Harbor, 2001.

If you'd like to listen to Mr. Keillor read it in his perfect style, the link is here.