this is about me walking the dog at 10 pm and falling in a hole
if I fall where no one sees
and I fall where no one hears
and if when I fall all by myself
I don’t make a sound
don’t disturb the crickets and lightning bugs
don’t wake the neighbors
and if I fall and trip and break
and I’m all alone in my quiet
acceptance of the pain
how do I know it hurt?
3 thoughts on "this is about me walking the dog at 10 pm and falling in a hole"
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An interesting (and specific) twist on a philosophical question, and I think you’ve basically covered the standard journalistic questions. (I’ve actually experienced an horrific 6 foot fall walking my dog at 10:00 pm and all the rest also). Lovely sense of form also.
And I am Carter 🙂
Very relateable.
In this heat, I walk The Lads after dark for their last walk. One night, I was on the sidewalk and crossing the exit of a church parking log – I have a light up harness for them – some guy in a big SUV was apparently looking at his phone and came flying across the parking lot, and I dashed enough that I just got bumped, but The Lads were fine. (These days I walk them separately). Now, I always have my phone with me when I walk the dogs!
Thank you so much for sharing this particular poem. It made me realize I’m not alone in these concerns.