Going to the Dogs

Isaiah 11:6

I learned a new phrase yesterday.
That new phrase was, “Our canine child.”
The speaker then went on to say,
“We rescued him when he was wild—

But don’t you think he rescued us?”
I nodded, smiled like I agreed,
Yet deep inside was curious
About where all of this will lead.

I saw a world of fantasies,
Technologies designed to feed them.
We’ll bow to gods just as we please
And say, “A little dog shall lead them.”

Steven Peterson
About

Steven Peterson is a poet and playwright living in Chicago. His first collection, Walking Trees and Other Poems, is forthcoming from Finishing Line Press. His poems appear in Alabama Literary Review, America, The Christian Century, Dappled Things, First Things, Light, Modern Age, The North American Anglican, Poems for Ephesians, and elsewhere. A selection of his poems is included in the anthology Taking Root in the Heart (Paraclete Press, 2023).

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'Going to the Dogs' has 1 comment

  1. December 25, 2024 @ 5:58 pm Cynthia Erlandson

    I totally agree that it is not a good thing to purposely have dogs replace children. And I think you’ve phrased that belief quite ingeniously here, Steven. “A little dog shall lead them” is brilliant!

    Reply

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