The Dog Poem

Right away, the simplicity of the title grew me alongside the bio that gives a very interesting, complex topic that is trans identity. It can be rather interesting to see gender as a topic being explored, since the feelings and experience can vary a lot depending on the person!!

Within the simplicity of the title, were the implications this dog is presumed to be familiar, whether its to the speaker or to the audience. "The Dog (Poem)" may be simple, but it seem to emphasize something general and familiar for the speaker, which I think is fitting for what the poem is about! Wondering about the speaker and the dog's relationship in the context of this being transgender is very interesting.

It's established this dog follows the speaker, and while this speaker observes the dog is dirty and untamed, there is no particular shame or pity attached to the speaker's observant nature. However, there is this mutual bond because the speaker digs in the dirt as the dog does—and so this speaker is not afraid to be as dirty and filthy as he describes this dog. Further onto the poem, we realize bond goes even beyond a simple joy in digging dirt:

He stares at me, our line / of sight is a tight string / wrapping around our eyes / burning our wet sclera / Iris tied to Iris

This description in contrast with the previous softer, lighter descriptions of this bond reveals the underlying intensity of this connection. It's borderline uncomfortable, because it's raw and it's vulnerable, and the imagery relating to eyes adds to that. Though, it establishes that the speaker and the dog reflect each other; this string forces both the speaker and the dog to see each other: the speaker "sees" himself through this dog, just as the dog sees themselves through the speaker. Eyes are not just very vulnerable things for us, but are also treated as the "window" to one's self; so for the connection to bear this force for the speaker and the dog to reflect each other—it's almost like both the speaker and the dog are one being.

just like I said / with the same dirt we dig / grounded into him. Built / A cat's slim and slender

Here, "Built" disrupted the way I read the following lines as it could be read as "grounded into him. Built." or "grounded into him. Built / A cat's slim and slender". Perhaps a stop to "Built" (with a period) could emphasis more that it should be read as if it's apart of "grounded into him." not "A cat's slim and slender" — to me it would come off as less awkward to see and read.

A cat's slim and slender / fur keeps me happy but / does not really keep me.

This here shows how the speaker feels more "in tune" with a dog rather than a cat. A dog that is dirty and untamed, while a cat is more cleaner and tamed, yet the speaker feels more comfortable to something that is filthy. Something about being this messy, dirty, but loved thing is more true to this speaker.

Perhaps, dogs in the context of this poem represent masculinity, while cats represent femininity—which mirrors how people generally associate dogs and cats in this way. For the speaker, while they might not have too much discomfort when performing or interacting with femininity, masculinity feels more true to him.

I'm just not in that dark, / bloody, furry landmark / I'm in the next one, just detachted and dissasociated / promise

These are some powerful lines here, and the lines "just detachted and dissasociated" being the longest one gives emphasis without making these lines come off as looking and being read as jarring in a way that disrupts the flow of the poem. Instead, it brings more uniqueness and interest to the whole poem. This line, alongside the other lines I've quoted above this paragraph, has been the hardest to interpret.

"I'm just not in that dark," being after the speaker's admission that they don't prefer cats, suggests there is a "dark" with cats: some specific "experience" with cats that the speaker may have lived in before, but does not identify with that experience in present times. Though a specific "dark" he lives in is "just detachted and dissasociated", possibly due to this revelation that he is a trans boy.

While I do praise these lines, there are some spelling mistakes! It should be "detached and disassociated", since that's the correct spelling of those words!


This is a great, very interesting poem to read!! I especially loved the ending; it was so impactful. Keep writing!!!