The One - Song 10: City Secundum – Segment 1

 Originally published January 20, 2020...

The hero/heroine of this epic poem has come a very long way from birth through childhood, on through adolescence, into the early stages of adulthood. A careful study of the timeline may make the clock seem to move ahead faster than it might; however, a hero/heroine’s journey does not obey temporal laws. Sometimes, the events seem to be set in a future period; at others, the incidents appear to be in the in the realm of childhood. Another aspect that runs through this epic is the variety of other characters encountered. This alone is enough to make James Joyce sit up and pay attention. Speaking of Joyce, it may be of interest to some readers that three of the Wannaskan Almanac writers have formed a Ulysses study group: Chairman Joe, Kim Red Shoes, and Jack Pine Savage. So, if you need an annotation “dictionary” to get through some of our posts, just feel very, very scholarly.

Our story now picks up speed as our traveler bids farewell (mostly) to the characters who have been with us throughout the longest “Song” so far. The range of morals and motivations stretches wide among the population. The MC must make choices, delve moral dilemmas, and come face to face with “self-or-other” alternatives. Yes, the MC soon enough will enter another city, the second large one so far on this journey. 

O’Gill and I descend to the street

his bone tucked in my pack; close, he follows 

                        nose at my heels as if he wore the leash

                                    I’ve draped over my shoulders slack and long

Clearly, this dog will follow me awhile 

            as he knows I have his bone in my bag

Not much else inhabits this sack of mine

            as I’ve left my small stash of belongings

                        on my boat and most of it’s still stowed there

I realize I must decide about 

O’Gill – whether to take him with me now

return him to the boy who cares little

            or Skitch and Mim who treat this dog much like

                        a rug, although they do stoop to feed him

I turn, look down and gaze into this dog’s

brown, wide eyes as he stares up at my face

 his eyebrows rise – he watches me as if

            to say, “Make up your mind about my fate”

Since he is free of tether, I reason 

            that if he wanted to, he’d run for home

Maybe he’d run off but for the stewed bone

I see I am taking both sides for him

            as he waits patiently still staring up

We walk awhile until I find a tree

            with thicker branches low enough for me

                        to stash the bone in a crook, walk away

                                    to see if O’Gill will still follow me

And he does! Aha! This is a clear sign

            that it is me and not the bone at all

Oh, but my hands and bag must smell like bone

            still, I will take this sign in my favor

                        Two more to go

                        Three’s the charm

I’ve never asked O’Gill to do a thing

I don’t even know what he understands

So, here goes with the second – “O’Gill, sit”

            and he plops down on his furry bottom 

                        and he never stops contemplating me

“O’Gill, down,” I tell him, and sure enough

            he plants himself belly down on the path

                        stays there still regarding me with cocked head

“O’Gill, stay,” I command, and walk away

I look back. He seems bonded to the spot

Three of three, I chuckle, and run to him

            ruffle his ears and kiss his wet-black nose

We get up, find ourselves a patch of grass

I am musing on my two victories

            a rush of promise rises in my heart

            as it does, I know the third’s identity

O’Gill pants, his tongue lolling to the side

            almost looks like he makes a doggish smile

This third one poses no easy answer

            because the response must be one, true name

The name, O’Gill, just doesn’t fit this dog

            so loyal, constant and kind of spirit

“We have to find the perfect name for you.”

With that, the to-be-named dog spews a sneeze

            crinkles his nose, and if he had full lips

they would pucker in anticipation

            of another huge sneeze and maybe more

            but he snorts softly, settles back - “Arrrrr    gooosh

“Argoosh?” I ask him. He shakes his head hard

            but maybe he’s just shaking out the nose 

irritant that made him sneeze

And the next sneeze erupts: “Arrrr    gooosh!”

“What do your sounds mean?” I move close to him.

“Arrrrg- oo oo oo – This time sounds

            like a howl, - a wolf? “Hmmm,” I think

“Arrrrg – goo – goo goo –      Argoo? Argoo?

Yes! sounds like Argoo,” This dog names himself!

Yes, somehow this seems a little off key.

Let’s keep the “Ar” and make it “gose”

“Argose, it is,” I say and scratch his ears

He pants approval, it would appear

I am pleased for us that we’ve made the change

“And that makes three!” I shout and raise my arms

Argose stands – performs a puppy play bow

I realize I’ve stacked three charms to win

            yet, rescuing a superb beast is no sin

                        so at least I tell myself – after all

                        Argose is the one who has chosen me

Now that my new companion is confirmed

            I check my conscience to find true vision

                        and the evidence for my decision

            I think of those three and their devious ways

                        or whether I again mean to betray

Most of all, I see how happy Argose 

            seems right now, a panting smile or a grin

Maybe I’m seeing what I want to see

I check my motives and I must agree

I want Argose – I want his company

Is this enough to steal, lie, and betray?

I promised I would not betray again

This time I’m ready for not one but three

and the one I hurt is not them but me

I want to run back to Hertwig to see

            what he would gently advise me to do

I know the answer, and this decides it

It doesn’t matter how dreadful they are

What matters is I know the truth and can’t 

ignore the days ahead when I’ll wonder

how would I feel if Argose was snatched from me?

No three charms or rationalization

            justifies such a continuation

“Come on, Argose,” I say, standing up straight

“Let’s go ask them if you can come with me.

That’s the only way you and I can be free”

Argose gives one quick bark of approval

            and without a leash again follows me

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the way to Skitch and crew, I feel light

            and virtuous and clean – this doesn’t last

                        as we near the place – I almost turn back

                        and I know Argose will follow me there

This is about my honesty

not about this charming dog’s loyalty

As I assumed, all three of them are home

As we enter, I remember Seagrace 

            wrapped and tucked, out of sight, in my bundle

I am afraid of losing her as well as Argose

            so, to distract them, I start to mumble

“Oh-ho,” says Skitch, “It is our scavenger

“What’s that you have there in your wretched bag”

“Nothing much. Some clothes, Ar . . . O’Gill’s leash

            and a big bone that Hertwig gave him”

“Looks like more than that to me. Let me see.”

“All right. All right. I’ll untie it,” which I do

            reaching in and pulling out all but Seagrace

                        who I won’t surrender – she is mine

“Come on,” says Skitch. “There’s something more inside”

“My gift from Hertwig, and it’s not for you,”

            I say this steady and with conviction

Skitch looks at me with piercing suspicion

“Out with it now, or I’ll take it my way!”

Thinking fast, I change the subject quickly

“I just came back to say good-bye to you

            and to ask a question of all of you”

Mim and Nevil have been creeping around

            the edges of the confrontation

            now pull together as blood relations

“Yes,” says Mim, “Let’s see what you’ve got in there”

“First, let me ask my question. Then you’ll see.”

“All right. All right,” says Skitch speaking for all

“What is it you want to ask, former friend?”

He’s changed his tone, now he sees I’m serious

“I’ve only come to say good-bye today

and ask if Ar- O’Gill can come with me

Now, Mim butts in, “I don’t care what you do 

with the mutt.” Nevil stays silent, looking

out a window apparently uncaring

Skitch scratches his chin and purses his lips

“Well. . . I think maybe we can make a deal.”

I already know what kind of “deal” he wants

He can’t contain his curiosity

But there will be no reciprocity

Without thinking, I unwrap my bundle

I take out Seagrace and start to fumble

            nervously for what I’m about to do

Skitch’s eyes light up and he lunges out

            to take the Dragon from my sweating hands

I whisk her away and back into my pack

Whistling for Argose, I make for the door

“A look at my Dragon exchanged for your dog!”

I shout back boldly over my shoulder

I leap three stairs at once with Argose behind

Skitch is too heavy and slow to catch me

            Mim shouts and Nevil’s still window-gazing

Skitch yells angrily after me, “You thief!”

            as we speed downstairs and out to the street

Background

In any travelogue, odyssey, or epic journey, the center point of interest is the protagonist, of course. It is intriguing to monitor choices made or forced, behaviors based on circumstances and conditions, and objectives achieved or not. Speaking of objectives, let’s note, at this point, that our MC doesn’t seem to have many, perhaps not even one, with the exception of movement. Movement away and movement toward – drawn in and pushed away. Nothing less than a moral compass is being forged. Surveying these aspects could bring each of us face-to-face with our own moral choices and constant righteousness, and even wickedness. But who is doing the judging?

Exploration 1: Is the MC’s decision to take O’Gill moral?

Exploration 2: Is the story of a traveler and a dog too cliched? (Example: Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley.)

Exploration 3: As the MC and Argose “speed downstairs and out to the street,” where do you imagine they are headed?