2020 Spring Contest Winner: New Poets: 3rd Place Winner

Dog bodhisattvas 

Mary Ann Petersen

I’ve seen them wearing coats, wearing sweaters,

riding in bike baskets, and shopping carts.

Tied up outside stores, on concrete, waiting for their beloved.

Dog bodhisattvas are not bogged down in dogma.

They are not downward dogs. 

Dog bodhisattvas are often harnessed for duty and wearing a badge or a service vest,      

absorbing or deflecting suffering for those they serve.

Dog bodhisattvas meet others where they are,

leading or following their person in need. 

They model forgiveness.

They are God reversed, groundlings with their feet always contacting earth, and staying, waiting on nirvana, staying present with us here, 

helping us to suffer a little bit less.

Poet’s Bio

Mary Ann Petersen practices Chinese medicine and writes articles for newsletters, blogs, and magazines. She sometimes writes poems.

Judge’s Comments – Penelope Scambly Schott

When I read a poem I am hoping to see something that interests me and makes me feel some intensity about it.  I want a new experience, fresh imagery, and some kind of emotional response. I don’t want to be distracted by clichés or preaching or deliberate obscurity. After much reading and re-reading, I ended up picking these particular poems for their compassion and originality.  “Dog bodhisattvas” – what can I say, I’m a dog-lover – is both witty and appreciative. 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll to Top