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Going to the Dogs

Our son, Michael, has two dogs:
one a marvelous Boxer,
and the other a blind and deaf Shitzu.
Her name is Saki, but we call her Helen Keller.

Because his work makes it difficult
for Michael to leave his office,
Mari or I often go to Michael's house
and let the dogs out at noon.
Sometimes we say that we are going up
to let Helen Keller out to pee in the yard,
or more generally, more commonly,
that we are going to the dogs.
People agree with that, and nod.

I looked up the phrase:
its general meaning is that
the subject is deteriorating;
not what it used to be.
We are going to the dogs.

The expression has its roots in China,
at a time when dogs and trash were thrown
outside the wall of the city;
dogs because they were scorned,
and belonged with the trash.
To go to the dogs was to become trash.

I do not know why we continue
to say what we do, except that . . .
well, Helen hasn't given up.

  

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