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Woody Woodburn

400 Roosevelt Court

Ventura, CA 93003

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Poetic Reality: My Old Dog Barks Backward

It is not one of Robert Frost’s most venerable poems, certainly not among his longest at a mere 20 words including the title, but “The Span of Life” has long been one of my favorites by the masterful poet.

Penned in 1937, the poem has been on my mind in 2019 – including now as I write this column with our 12-year-old boxer sleeping nearby – for Frost’s words are about Murray surely:

“The old dog barks backwards without getting up. / I can remember when he was a pup.”

Murray, named after my writing idol and late friend Jim Murray, has become an old dog too weary to get up and turn around before barking at something behind him. And this is if he hears a noise in the first place. Indeed, in recent months his hearing has faded ever as much as his once jet-black muzzle and mask has faded to charcoal and snow.

As if it were only a week ago, that being yesterday in dog days, I can remember when Murray was a pup. His name in the litter was Dave, but we changed it on the drive home. Nearly as quickly he earned the nickname “Gator” because he attacked hands and shoelaces, and even a wooden molding corner at the top of the stairs, with the fervor of an alligator.

In his early months, Murray also chewed up the backyard sprinkler system and took out an entire flowerbed of plants. “Spirited” is the word the laughing veterinarian used to describe the young Gator.

Now when Murray barks backward, if he barks at all, it is with a few less teeth, three having been pulled recently.

Nor does the ol’ guy see much to bark at these days. Despite two eye surgeries, he has grown nearly blind. No matter, Murray navigates the house nimbly by memory and gets around the neighborhood on twice-daily mile-plus walks remarkably well by familiar scents.

Of the eight dogs I have had in my life, Murray is my paws-down favorite. One reason, in fact four, is because he has always made my daughter, son, wife and me feel like we are each his favorite human in the entire world.

Example. Throughout four years of high school my son took recovery ice baths after every cross-country and track practice with Murray always keeping him tub-side company.

Example. Normally, Murray stays off all beds even if invited up. However, when my daughter called off her engagement during the last week of grad school and came home to mend, Murray leapt up and curled beside her for weeks on end.

Example. Murray is, quite simply, my wife’s shadow.

Example. Murray keeps me company when I write at home and keeps watch for me out the window when I’m out. Even now, with veiled vision, he keeps faithful vigil. Indeed, his brown eyes have clouded over but they still clearly register bottomless unconditional love.

Our dear old dog just had another surgery, this time to remove a lesion from his lower lip. “Epitheliotrophic lymphoma” the pathology report stated in a medical mouthful of scary syllables. Has it spread? Only time will tell.

For the time being Murray is back to his older self, still strongly muscled at 79 pounds, still with a supersonic stubby tail when happy, still enriching our lives beyond measure.

As The Span of Murray’s Life winds down, it seems to me Frost’s poem misses the mark in being wistful about his pup. It is a natural feeling, yet all in all I think an old backward-barking dog is even more lovable.

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Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com.

Check out my memoir WOODEN & ME: Life Lessons from My Two-Decade Friendship with the Legendary Coach and Humanitarian to Help “Make Each Day Your Masterpiece” and my essay collection “Strawberries in Wintertime: Essays on Life, Love, and Laughter” …

• Personalized signed copies are available at WoodyWoodburn.com