Today, we talk with Nick who joins us in excellent canine critter conversation. Nick follows in some very special footsteps, so we’ll jump right in and read all about it.
Heidi: Nick, thank you for joining us in conversation.
Nick: Thank you so much. It’s a pleasure to be here.
Heidi: Nick, you were 5.5 pounds at adoption from the shelter.
Nick: Yes. I also had 2 sisters and even though we all had different coat patterns, we were similar and got adopted real fast, so I’m really happy that my mommy found me when she did.
Heidi: You were adopted by Nelson’s mommy following his crossing of the Rainbow Bridge. We featured Nelson last week and now focus on how his incredible life has opened a window onto your own life’s path.
Nick: He lived an exemplary life. An inspiration, I must say. He was found as an adult on the streets and went through a foster situation with our mommy who adopted him because the bond was so incredibly strong. Adopting shelter pets and rescues is valuable beyond words.
Heidi: You do at times bear uncanny resemblances to Nelson and make a strong argument for reincarnation.
Nick: My understanding of reincarnation is that you get your deck shuffled every time. I have four paws on the ground, so I don’t have special needs like Nelson with his forelegs. But people say it’s my eyes and some of the things I do that remind them of Nelson. Things like how I sit in my car seat, angled exactly so I can see my mommy, and other unusual things like writing poetry. Above all it’s an honor to follow in his special footsteps.
Heidi: Nick, you also received a DNA test kit as a holiday gift a few years ago. What did you find out about your genetic ancestry?
Nick: I’m Pomeranian, Miniature Pinscher, and Chihuahua.
Heidi: DNA is a good way to make the distinction between a previous life and heritable traits.
Nick: Like I said, you get your deck shuffled.
Heidi: You also do an intense amount of traveling.
Nick: Yes, mostly by car these days. In my car seat, of course.
Heidi: You’ve driven cross country which generated quite an impressive creative outburst of Haiku poetry.
Nick: Indeed it did. The I-80 Chronicles. I wrote one poem per state. It was a good way to make use of my time on the backseat.
Heidi: Haiku seems to be your favored form rather than sonnets or free verse.
Nick: Sonnets are complex and my attention span for them just hasn’t really been there for me as a younger pup. I mean, they’re 14 lines! Once I’m more senior, I might be able to concentrate that long the way Nelson was able to, past the age of 8. I’ll be 7 myself in January.
Heidi: What about free verse?
Nick: It’s too unstructured.
Heidi: Nick, we’d like to feature a few of your Haiku poems here.
Nick: I would luv to share them and have written a brand new Haiku for our readers. I’d also like to say how much I enjoy rhymes which really form the backbone of sonnets for me. I write to the rhyme. Call. Fall. Hall. Tennis Ball.
Heidi: Thank you, Nick, thank you so much for joining us in conversation.
Nick: My pleasure. Anytime. Anytime.
Heidi: Nick, aren’t you going to ask for something to eat?
Nick: Nope. I’m not hungry.
Heidi: Wow. You really did get your deck shuffled.
Nick: ‘Tis.
Poetry with Pets
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by Nick
The following poems are from The I-80 Chronicles by Nick
Freewheeling
Nevada
I took a gamble
Freewheeling down the highway
Sitting next to you
Prairie Fire
Iowa
Gentle rolling hills
Set the prairie on fire
Silo to silo