Wild and Tame

may we all bound into the new year like Ben

Ben in all his wild/tame glory- Photo by Andy Smith

Charging nose first with rocks 
and stumps and stone steps 
only a canvas for his speed and agility

he pounds down the trail,
his ears waving in praise as his 
sturdy legs and lungs take them all in a bound.  

And if you see him only as a white blur 
as he goes by, you may think he only flies 
one way like an arrow from a bow. But

if the distance between us grows too great,
he’ll pause and look back with an encouraging 
smile, tongue set silly to the side. 

And if he feels an invisible tug after he 
has rounded a corner so that brush or rock are 
between us, he’ll bound back ’til he set eyes on me.

Certainly he wants to lead his own life, 
to be out in front and yet, 
he doesn't want to go it alone.

And who can blame him?
Is this not what it is to be both tame and wild— 
bravely charging into the unknown 

without forgetting there is an umbilical cord of love 
sending you your strength and courage?
Ben, teach me to be both tame and wild!

_written December 28 2025

I’m going to take the risk of being cliché with sharing this poem only because I think that this tension is so true (which is maybe what makes it cliché). In the year ahead may you find ways to surge forward into new, unknown experiences while maintaining contact with the places and people who sustain you, who bring you comfort, who are cheering you on.