The Dog Days of Summer

Well, it’s official. The dog days of summer have arrived! Though I’ve managed to remain fairly productive in my writing this summer, I have found myself nodding off at my desk a couple of times. I’d like to blame the heat, but really, I think I’m susceptible to the power of suggestion. You see, my dog’s favorite place to nap is in my office. And his favorite time to sleep is during the day, which also happens to be when I *try* to get most of my writing done. In theory, it’s a pretty good system. But as soon as my dog settles in for his nap, the rhythmic sound of his snoring makes me sleepy. To combat this inevitable daytime drowsiness, I’ve found that it helps to focus on the cacophony of noises that escape his throat – the unique blend of grumbles and sighs that compose what I like to call his “Snore Song.”

To celebrate the “Snore Song” and all of its glory, I’d like to share with you a poem I wrote about the topic several years ago for the Northern Lights Greyhound Adoption Dog Blog. Simply entitled “Snore Song,” this poem is an ode to sleeping dogs everywhere!

Snore Song
By Katie Gilstrap

Late at night,
I hear a sound.
It’s coming from
my sleeping hound.

It starts from deep
within his throat,
then bellows outward
note by note.

High to low,
the pitches tumble.
Every breath
becomes a grumble.

Never have
I heard before,
a song as silly
as his snore.