an arf poetica
Digging, he decides
is fun the sand churns up
fast spews-spins-scatters
through his paws
the reason to do it
he doesn’t know reason
he thinks of what
he finds himself
doing which is digging
why here? something
smelly good beneath
he finds it bit
of rotten bite of shell
keep digging some
thing else will show its
self a nugget hugs
some tuck of meat
dig more dig down
find pebble-chunk
grind it hard
teeth it teeth it
too young to know
if what he chews
is dead or lived,
seaweed crab claw
mussel shred or clam
oyster leaking out
between pursed lips
of double shell what in
and of itself
to worry play with eat
crouch down my pup
and dig what’s hid
sand under sand under sand
Susman, a Kingston resident, has written six poetry collections. She teaches poetry writing through the Osher Institute of Rutgers University, and is a member of the Cool Women Poets.
