Canine Therapy: The Poem

Canine Therapy

The Mudd’s June 7 Canine Therapy session inspired a poem! It captures pretty well what the event is all about. Thanks to the author for letting us post it here.

Canine Therapy
Sarah Gilbert

Finals week, spring term
Outside the college library
seven dogs work for treats
for attention, for long belly scratches.

Clumps of students come
weighed down by deadlines
pet their stresses, their fears
into forgiving fur, floppy ears
smile into shining eager eyes.

Boundless willing doggie hearts
radiate love and hope back to them
and the students walk away lighter,
laughing together.

Home again the therapists
sleep long and deeply
twitching with dreams
of MLA citation style
cell apoptosis
surrealist self-representation
and diminished 7th chords,
then wake and shake, stretch,
and go look for more treats.