Brown Dog poem + Election Day poem

 Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Patricia (who shared the "Bride Squad" in her last week's post about her Year of 6 Weddings!) at Reverie for Roundup.

No weddings around here! Though I was remembering yesterday the year my now-grown-married-mom to 4-niece dressed up as a bride for Halloween. So sweet!

Here's a poem (originally published in 2012 Scholastic's Storyworks magazine) I post every year in advance of Election Day.

Election Day

Sift through promises,

replay interviews;

step inside the booth.

Forget scripted speeches

and candy-wrapped slogans.

Weigh again each pro

and con. Remember

the teeming world,

its people who dream

of freedom --

so many denied

the right to decide.

Read the names,

imagine a future;

make the best choice.

In the space between breaths

your voice is heard

without a word.

- Irene Latham

Today's ArtSpeak: FOLK ART poem features a piece by Mary Flach. I looked at this art, and I thought "stray." 

One of my daily habits is to look at the posts from our local Animal Shelter. Lots of strays, lots of "critical" posts asking folks to take in a plain-looking dog, or a dog overwhelmed by shelter-stress who doesn't "show" well to potential adopters. My favorite favorite-favorite posts are the ones that feature happy adoption photos! I love seeing the hope in those dogs' eyes. So maybe that's where this poem comes from?

Brown Dog

Brown Dog howls all hours.

Brown Dog roams alone.

Brown Dog owns the whole wide world!

But what Brown Dog wants

is a home.

- Irene Latham