essays

Dos-y, Tres-y and I

A friend recently introduced me to a poetic tale by Juan Ramon Jimenez (1881-1958), a prolific Spanish poet who was born in a tiny Andalusian village, Moquer, which he memorializes in his book of meditations between a donkey, named Platero, and his master. Platero and I documents the rhythms and traditions of village life through the eyes of the two and the imaginings and observations of Platero’s loving owner and translator.

While I would never presume to compare myself with Jimenez, I realized that I very often have a running conversation about the world with my little curly fuzzy canine Terrierists, Dos and Tres. They are good company, extremely “upbeat,” and although obstinate (like donkeys) about doing things “their way,” seeing things through their eyes gives me a rich and interesting life. It’s their activities and my thoughts, questions and imaginings that make up our dialogue.

Recently, I lay down on the chaise lounge on the patio to consider life in the cottonwood tree. This is a subject of great interest to Dos-y and Tres-y, who accompanied me for short quiet periods of alert contemplation on the chaise. But then they’d hear or see something, leap up and tear off across the yard, neck and neck, to investigate -- sometimes a rabbit, more often a falling leaf, occasionally a lizard, but mostly I didn’t know what.

The pups chased the birds when they flew low and otherwise chased their shadows doing quick spins, raising dusty spirals, leaping into the air, and arguing among themselves about who gets to chase this shadow and who gets that one.

High in the sky circled a raven. Most days he lands on the cottonwood around 3 PM. Dos-y and Tres-y rest alert beneath the tree where, while the raven chortles above. Eventually he jumps off to soar along in a pattern that produce a large shadow on the ground. Off go the pups, shot out of a cannon, to catch this raven who I’m quite sure is just egging them on. “Dumb canines. Catch me if you can.”

Well my precious little teachers, I don’t approve of all of your activities. I am, however, grateful for the joys you share with me. I see the pleasure you get out of little things, the magic of splashing water, the flight of the dragonfly, the chiarascura of life you so appreciate, and I’m the richer for your view of the world we share.

Lucy Noyes is co-founder of La Puerta Real Estate Services, LLC, 505-867-3388 outside Albuquerque, New Mexico and has a million stories in her head, just waiting to get out.

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