The Paddock Review

…..

Puppy at the Animal Shelter

…..

With boisterous barking

and longing leaps 

and big brown eyes filled with hope,

……

he pleads to be

…..

scampering across our lush lawns,

trampling through our prize-winning flowers, 

digging beneath our majestic maple trees,

and chasing after our plump and pretentious felines.

….

But, as we hurry by,

….

his cries fall on indifferent concrete,

and his warm soft nose presses

against cold hard steel. 

….

This poem is from the chapbook Half Full, Half Empty, or Just a Glass of Unpredictable Life by Harold Whisman (Finishing Line Press), and can be found at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/half-full-half-empty-or-just-a-glass-of-unpredictable-life-by-harold-whisman/

Half Full, Half Empty, or Just a Glass of Unpredictable Life celebrates the things in #life that put a smile on our faces, decries the things that change that smile into a frown or a scream, and ponders many other things that make our lives so surprising and unpredictable.  These #poems speak of #family, friends, and lovers as well as a visionary’s horrifying dream, an overabundance of trash, a lawn display, and the world of nature.  Although these poems are written in a range of forms, including concrete poetry, sonnet, haiku, and free verse, the language is clear and straightforward, adhering to Ted Kooser’s belief that an “accessible poem can be of use to an everyday reader.”

Harold Whisman is a 75-year-old poet who lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  He is a retired English and journalism teacher for neighboring Norfolk Schools, where he sponsored an award-winning high school newspaper, The Spectator.  He has an M.A. in English and Writing from Old Dominion University.  In his “golden years” he enjoys providing after-school care for his grandchildren, bowling in two senior leagues, and writing poetry, three pursuits that can be frustrating but also very rewarding.  His poems have been published in Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine, Amethyst Review, Better than Starbucks, and several other publications.  This is his first published book of poetry.