In the one essay in this collection of poems, Mary Oliver ends with the question: "What would this world be like without dogs?" Truth be told, we have in our reviews of some of her previous books praised her poems about her beloved dog Percy. So a goodly number of these verses seemed pleasingly familiar to us.

Dogs provide us with pleasures and delights that stir our senses. Oliver pays tribute to these playful creatures who love to romp around without leashes, who savor the pleasures of the body in this world, who keep the secrets of smells, who sleep so peacefully with no cares, who sometimes impersonate little wild things, and who can be silly and profound in the same moment.

With their antics and their loving-kindness dogs bring so much good cheer into our lives and leave us yearning for more. All we have to do is what Mary Oliver has done with dogs: be totally present and they will immediately understand and receive the gift with great joy!