The Poet Had the Evening Planned Until He Lost His Place in the Book
Candlelight flickers beside a harlequin Great Dane who has paused mid-poem. A dark velvet cap with a curling feather sits on his black-and-white head, and a wide lace collar rests over a deep green coat. In his big, gentle hands he holds a worn leather book, one finger tucked in to save his place. His eyes drift slightly to the side, as though a rhyme just escaped him and he is waiting politely for it to return.
Great Danes are among the tallest dog breeds, yet most are famously soft-natured, and many are happy to lean against a favorite person like a furry wall. Because they grow so quickly, puppies need carefully measured meals and plenty of rest, and many owners ask their vet about healthy weight and joint care. Big dogs also appreciate a thick, supportive bed, since they spend many hours stretched out on it, and they do best with a calm, patient style of training.
The harlequin coat, white with irregular black patches, gives this poet a dramatic, almost theatrical look, which suits the moment perfectly. Those splotches look like spilled ink, as if his words had been landing on him all evening. Even the shadows in the room seem to lean in a little, waiting for the next line.
Whatever he was reading, he seems to be giving it a thoughtful, patient hearing, and nobody in the room would dare interrupt.
