Dog Years by Billy Collins

Today I turned 

420 in dog years

so I have decided to take myself 

for a long walk on the parth around the lake

and when I get back home

I will jump up on my chest

lick my nose, ears, and eyelids

while yelling at myself to get down.  .  .

Excerpted from the Poem Dog Years by Billy Collins

The poet, Billy Collins, a US Poet Laureate has a capacity to park his mind behind the eyes, ears, and nose of just about any person, species  and even object.  In his most recent book, Dog Show, he blesses us with 25 poems about dogs.  I share this on a Sunday because we need a break from the drudgery of the frozen weekday human mind that seems to think its only function is to hate the opposing political party, or calculate the lethal trajectory of missiles or compare the meaningless greatness of oneself to all others.  Billy Collins has turned his shape shifting mind into an art form to share with the world.  We need his heart and sharp mind.

You too have the capacity to be a shape shifter in your mind.  Don’t think for a moment the computer or phone from which you are reading this can hold a candle to your mind.  Try to imagine today what your cat, dog, or even turtle isn’t thinking or perhaps would be thinking if it could think in your mother tongue.  Look at the child squirming in church during the over long sermon about God knows what and tease that child into submission with your best nature and humor; all in your shape shifting mind.  

Empathy is not just about swallowing other peoples pain as a penance. Empathy is also  airing out your constipated brain after a week of miseries sponsored by the frozen politics of the time.  Have some fun with the gifts an also humorous God meant you to have. That would be good  . . . especially for a Sunday, that famous day of rest.  That certainly would be good.