Monday, October 25, 2010

A Mad Dog Chases Himself



A cold wind blows
A lone wolf howls
Somewhere in the woods
A mad dog chases himself
Snapping at his own bloody haunches
You approach through the fog
Alone and lost
Trying to find the trail again
Before full dark falls upon you
Aware only of the sound of your boots
Crunching through the snow
Your frantic breath hangs in the air
Like a frozen scream


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49 comments:

  1. I don't usually like poetry, but this one is good.

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  2. Fantastically atmospheric photo and lovely poem too. Well done Pat! ;)

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  3. Wow, scary. I hate being alone in the woods. I don't know if I have ever been in that situation but I know it would scare the pants off me. I've seen woods like that in Canada.

    CD

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  4. Creepy! I love it. The photo is so eerie and perfect with this poem.

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  5. i really hope i'm not that mad dog . . .

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  6. Hello Patrick,
    I really liked this foggy picture, and the poem is a bit scary, but suits the picture.
    Have a nice week:)

    Berit.

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  7. Hello Patrick,
    I really liked this foggy picture, and the poem is a bit scary, but suits the picture.
    Have a nice week:)

    Berit.

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  8. I really like this picture, and the poem too, but it's a bit scary...

    Have a nice week:)

    Berit.

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  9. Well I say here my good fellow, when you come out with a poem..well, you bring it on full force..great imagary and love theselines:

    "Your frantic breath hangs in the air
    Like a frozen scream"

    Well done!!

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  10. eerie, I can feel my heart beat rising just reading this

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  11. Ok, Pat, I do like the poem, but I have to admit I am more drawn to the photo...did you take this?
    I can almost feel the cold...the darkness...the atmosphere...

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  12. That picture describes a lot of how I felt in the first half of the year. Lost on a cold, foggy trail trying to chase my own tail. I am happy to say, however, I emerged on the other side to sunshine and gentle voices...leaving the behind the howling wolf. life with nice even breaths....

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  13. This sounds like me right about now, trying to catch up with everything I have missed.

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  14. Minoccio - Well then, I thank you!

    Talei - Thanks Talei!

    CD - I love the woods. It can be pretty spooky though. A lot of people don't realize that california has an incredible amount of forested land.

    BB - thanks! That was my intent!

    Salt - Thanks, I thought they fit pretty well also.

    Alex - Thanks Alex!

    Vencora - I know the feeling. Someday, I'm catch that tail...

    Berit - Thanks! you have a nic week also.

    Lynne - Thanks Lynne! Coming from you, I take that as a great compliment...

    baygirl - Yes! I'm happy to hear that.

    Joe - I did indeed. The photo is of my wife. Walking through frozen fog with nothing but an umbrella! We are lucky we didn't end up as ice cubes...

    DrSoosie - It's always nice to make it to the other side. Sometimes, it doesn't seem like we will...

    Ms A - I'm so HAPPY to see you out and about! Thanks for stopping by!

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  15. Love this poem, Pat! I can just feel the isolation...

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  16. I felt the tension and chill with each line I read. Nice build. Love Frozen Scream. Could be a good band name or shot.

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  17. there is something magical with this shot.

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  18. Man... those last two lines are killer. You really have a great talent. Many great talents actually. Loved it.

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  19. Ree - Thanks so much!

    Talli - Believe me, it was isolated! Very good inspiration...

    Jesse - thanks so much! Yeah, ice cold vodka...

    Dave - thanks Dave! I appreciate the comment!

    Tim - Thanks for the nice words Tim...You are much too kind...

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  20. Wonderful poem, very frenético.Un greeting.

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  21. An evocative poem and a very cold-looking photo. Cold in a good way :)

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  22. Makes me realize I can't wait to go home for Christmas this year...there better be some damn snow!

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  23. Wow! to both the words... and the photo!

    Nevine

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  24. Not only do I love the poem, but the photo is also haunting...so many of our U.P. winter days look like this, I could so relate!!

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  25. This one reaches deep inside to pull that fear right up into your throat.

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  26. I'm not a poetry lover (mainly cuz they usually go straight over my head)...but this one....I understood....CLEARLY....and it frightened the bejeezies out of me, coupled with that spooky pic.

    I will never walk alone in the snow again!

    (Ok, maybe I will...but not without thinking about running into a dog that's ripping the flesh off his haunches with his teeth!)

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  27. Love the photo.
    Wonder if the mad dog is the
    same one a co-worker is always
    talking to.......

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  28. Leovi - sí, muy frenético y aterrorizado! Gracias...

    tapirgal - Thanks! the fog was frozen. I had to wipe my camera lens right before taking the photo.

    Chuck - I can see snow from here during the winter, that's about as close as I want it...

    Nevine - Thanks Nevine! I appreciate it...

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  29. Joan - thanks so much! Brrrr!

    Jimmy - Wow! Thanks Jimmy, I'm glad you liked it...

    Marlene - In that case, I consider this post a success! Watch out for mad dogs...

    faye - It just might be! LOL...

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  30. Love the woods on a snowy day.
    Great words and photo!

    B

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  31. Man, what a coincidence that we both wrote about a ferocious dog today.

    Good poem, and a great picture (I assume you took it yourself.) You always have the best photography.

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  32. Like a frozen scream. Very good, Pat.

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  33. I would not want to be in that woods..Great poem to feel fear!

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  34. Spooky image of the mad dog. And the breath like a scream... I will be so glad when this 'season' of scary is OVER! :-)

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  35. Great words, even without the pic which added to the effect, the imagination would make it equally scary... :)

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  36. Betty - Not these woods Betty, not these woods...

    Kerrath - I went over and read your story. It was REALLY good. I wish you'd post more often. Thanks for nice words...

    Francisca - Thanks so much. I appreciate it.

    California Girl - I take that as a compliment. thanks!

    Icy BC - thanks! Even I think it's creepy...

    Brenda - It will be over soon!

    Songswords - Thanks! It really was kind of spooky in those woods when I took the photo. What the heck my was doing wandering away, I'll never know...

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  37. Chilling, in more ways than one. I've spent a lot of time backpacking in the past sometimes with friends and sometimes alone. Your poem captures certain moments of that time well.

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  38. Simply delightful, I could hear the crunching of the snow from a different life long, long ago.

    Beautifully written Pat.

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  39. The image of a mad dog chasing itself is masterful! Another great piece, Pat.
    xoRobyn

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  40. That would be terrifying.. Lost and alone in the cold.. suitable image too..
    Great poem yet again

    =]

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  41. SQ - I understand, hiking alone in the woods, is not a good time to let your imagination scamper freely...

    Pam - Thanks! One of my favorite photos ever. I remember wondering why the heck was my wife just wandering off in a very thin, back country trail, that was usually hidden by snow.

    Anthony - Thanks Anthony! I agree! I've been isolated and lost in both the woods and the jungle. both although totally different weather wise, were equally creepy...

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  42. So, I loved this!! Truly. Thanks for visiting my site.

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  43. Salarsen - Thanks so much! thanks to you for commenting and signing up! I think your graphics are some of the best I've seen...

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  44. I can hear the shoes crunching through the snow. Very scary to me.

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  45. Anon - Thanks! Whenever I read this, I get the shivers...

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