Now this is an odd topic. Don’t get me started on what subjects James chooses to write poems about. This isn’t even the strangest. After all, I did draw a line in the snow about his poem that covers yellow snow – if you get my drift. I mean, who would ever think about putting words on paper about a dog and his chewing slate? (No, I was not going to go on about bodily waste.) My loving companion, James, that’s who.
In case you were not aware, Skygate Farm’s roof is made of slate. Quite a number of roofs in Vermont are made of that material since snow slides off it easily. Something else you might not know is that slate is rather brittle. When several feet of snow land on it, pieces of it chip off and drift down with the snow when it descends from the roof. Now these shards land in the yard and on the terraces (Skygate Farm has two).

My enjoyment of these slivers began back when I was cutting my teeth. (You can read about that here). I would chew on most anything, including slate. Still, there is something else you might not know. Slate has a yummy taste. At least to me it does.

These chips apparently were invisible to James and Ron. Why they never saw them until they were in my mouth I’ll never know. Yet once I began to chew one of them I would be commanded to drop it. Now what fun is that? I mean, if they were going to leave them lying around, then I believe it’s acceptable for me to chew them. (If you agree, let me know in a comment below.)
Okay, I will grant that the ones that fall into the yard are easily overlooked since they mingle with the dirt, stones, and grass. When we’re in the yard, there are far too many other odors and items to distract me from such a simple pleasure as chewing slate. However, when we’re trapped (yes, one terrace has a wall around it) on the front terrace, flakes of slate take on a value beyond gold.
(Slate chips from the terrace found by James;
gold bullion from a free internet site.)
Besides, where would I be able to spend gold? It’s not like I could prance into a bank and cash it. First off, I don’t have any gold, and if I did, where would I carry the gold when I ran the eight miles to the bank? Much less, how would I get inside the bank since I have paws and not hands? After all, James is the one typing this for me since my paws are too big for the keyboard.
Sorry, I got off track. Where was I? Oh, yeah, trapped on the terrace. I am tall enough to look over the top of the wall, but after staring into space for a while, I long for something closer to home on which to spend my attention. That’s when I go checking for slate. Of course, I always, or at least almost always, find a piece. After getting it in my mouth by using my tongue, I settle down on the warm terrace stones to enjoy a chew. Right when I’m starting to get to the delicious flavor, Ron or James takes notice and, yes, that’s right, they want to take it from me.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think they wanted it for themselves to enjoy. They don’t, though, because they toss it into the yard where they’ve learned I wont go after it since, as I said before, there are a myriad of other smells, flavors, and sightings of more interest to me.
So, without further ado, here’s the poem James wrote. We hope you enjoy it.
SLATE
the oddest thing you find
to put in your mouth
are pieces of the slate
that chip off our roof
they somehow descend
at all times of the year
but during spring
these bits drop in abundance
as if dandelion parachutes
you somehow find
fragments we miss
on the front and rear terraces
in the yard and flower garden
you relish grinding these slivers
between your teeth
having replaced the pebbles
you thought of as kibble
but what are these supposed to be
other than shards of slate
your mouth is the orifice
with which you communicate
and use to taste
while those sharp edges
can slash your gums lips and tongue
so how is it something that
could render you tasteless
unconnected
be such a prize
besides these flakes are a dull gray
and not what I’d call appetizing
but in the last quarter of your first year
you don’t seem to care
or else you don’t gnaw with abandon
yet savor some mysterious flavor
oh why is it that you like to chew
on the slate from our roof
known as residue
this is but one of the things
I will never understand about you
since you can’t speak to me
except in your manner
but that method doesn’t clue me in
unlike my approach
which should communicate
how I feel about you and
everything you do
(in no specific order)
- choosing
- accepting
- sheltering
- providing
- inoculating
- training
- rewarding
- socializing
- respecting
- loving – the last but not the least
and it is the reason why
when you find a piece of slate
or other foreign object I object to
that I ask you to drop it
before taking it away
then returning myself
to give you the affection
and companionship
you so unquestioningly
return to me
Did you notice that in the poem James references that I can’t speak to him? Well, back then the only way I could communicate was with my mouth, eyes, ears, and knob of a tail. Sure, I said mouth, but not like humans do. Like we canines do, by nibbling, licking, or barking/growling (neither of which I do very often). It wasn’t until after the end of my first year that we grew to understand one another, and what the other was thinking.
My favorite part of this poem, as well as several of James’ other poems, is how he speaks of the companionship we give one another. When I think about it, I do find myself following James around the house, no matter what time of day or where he might be going. Sometimes he calls me his shadow. I have to admit that I like being his shadow. (Finally, a treat. What I have to do these days to get one. But that’s a whole other topic.)
Which reminds me. Come back in two weeks and find out what James wrote about the crate I used to spend the bulk of my days and nights inside. In the meantime, let me know in the comment section below what you think of the poems James wrote about my first year. I always like to hear from you, so please feel free to leave me a note about this or anything else that’s on your mind.
Until next time,
Sir Oliver of Skygate Farm (you can call me Ollie)