Alexandria — Celebrate the Dog Days of August in poems and pictures. Alexandria's poet laureate, Amy Young, invites the residents of Alexandria to visit their local dog parks from Aug. 18-26 to view poems written and submitted by Alexandria residents in honor of the dogs in their lives. The 2nd Annual Dog Days of August is sponsored by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts.
Dog Days of August is one of two city-wide poetry and art projects to originate with the poet laureate. Following on the heels of the Dog Days of August, the poet laureate is asking residents to write poems and send in photographs and pictures of the street they live on. MAPP (Mapping Alexandria in Poems and Pictures) will eventually be an interactive website where residents and visitors can click on a street and see the art and poetry associated with it. The goal will be to have every street in Alexandria represented and to have snapshots of the city over time. Anyone interested in helping implement this site can contact Young through poet@alexandriava.gov. Poems and artwork may be submitted to poet@alexandriava.gov as well.
Here is a sampling of this year's poems:
Leia's Gift
I remember
Years ago
Our evening walk
A neighbor child crying
Hurt more from the
The unridden two wheeler than
The scraped knee
His father
A good man but unsure
I offer your leash
Something large strong
Tame in a small hand
A moment
Crisis passed
The father to me
You came just in time
But the gift was yours
— Tom Nardone
‘Why Don’t I Come, Too?’
You’re going to the mailbox
To drop some letters there.
It won’t take long
It’s no big deal.
Hey, I know – I’ll come, too!
You’re filling up the feeders
For birds in our back yard.
You don’t need help.
It isn’t hard,
But why don’t I come, too?
You’re driving “home” for Christmas
You dread this trip each year.
The roads are jammed.
Your family’s nuts.
Don’t worry. I’ll come, too.
Your cold is getting worse, dear.
You’re sneezing up a storm.
That cough is bad.
You need some rest.
To bed now! — I’ll come too …
— Donna Hughes
The Fresh Prince of Del Ray
I love my sweet boy
He has so much joy
I warm to his touch
He gives me so much
Makes me want to be
The me that he sees
Not some deadbeat dad
Who'd treat his kid bad
Within me inspire
His heart's desire
— Michael Payne