Mary Oliver is an exceptional poet, Pulitzer prize winning, with a wonderful way with words. Her themes are almost entirely the natural world and dogs. This poem is from her recent book called "Dog Songs". This is Sasha having great fun at a big off-leash dog park.

If You Are Holding This Book

You may not agree, you may not care, but
if you are holding this book you should know
that of all the sights I love in this world -
and there are plenty - very near the top of
the list is this one: dogs without leashes.

To see others remembering Maire in song, poem and proverb: http://forum.pbase.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=47823&sid=43007bc7bde6f9b742565e0da91d6967