Our dog Paco never tires of affection. His appetite for pets, belly rubs, neck scratching, or improvised songs sung into his ears knows no bounds. During the day he will sit at my feet and tell me, in low grunts and grrrs, eyes fixed on mine, that it’s time to take a break so he can leap onto my lap and be stroked.
What Paco wants, he asks for. And we give it to him. Our lives are all better for it. I have one human friend who reminds me of Paco: fearless, funny, and forthright in stating their needs. I’ve never been like my dog or my friend, but I aspire to be.
Demand It Courageously, by Julia Hartwig (translated by John and Bogdana Carpenter)
Make some room for yourself, human animal.
Even a dog jostles about on his master’s lap to
improve his position. And when he needs space he
runs forward, without paying attention to commands
or calls.
If you didn’t manage to receive freedom as a gift,
demand it as courageously as bread and meat.
Make some room for yourself, human pride and dignity.
The Czech writer Habal said:
I have as much freedom as I take.
Click here for more information about Polish poet Julia Hartwig. Today’s poem first appeared in her collection In Praise of the Unfinished, published by Knopf in 2008.
alisonmcghee.com
My podcast: Words by Winter
Alison McGhee 