The Betsy Dog Poetry Chapbook

EDITED BY BETSY & ROSA

CANINE EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The Betsy - South Beach

DOG

POEMS

Produced in limited run for

educational purposes by The Betsy

Arts and Culture Program honoring

National Poetry Month and O, Miami.

First printing: ©Spring 2019

Second printing: ©Summer 2019

Third printing: ©Winter 2020

We originally wrote this book during

National Poetry Month 2019 and

now we are in our third printing

because our Dog Poems Book has

been a real hit!

Our grandfather, Hyam Plutzik, was

a poet whose work we celebrate

at The Betsy Hotel - on the Poetry

Rail (located in The Alley) and

throughout the hotel. He also wrote

our tag line - Expect no more. This is

happiness.

We are proud to dedicate this

collection to Katie Hepburn Plutzik,

The Betsy’s rst Canine Executive

Ofcer, who passed away last year

- and in honor of the hundreds of

poets - and dogs - that have visited

The Betsy Hotel.

Betsy & Rosa

Canine Executive Ofcers

Katie

Beginning with Kate

by Gerald Stern

Beginning with Kate, a ten year old golden retriever

sleeping all day and

tethered to a baby grand choosing

the cold marble to lie down on instead

of the nearby commercial carpet in the

lobby of the Betsy,

a grand hotel at the northernmost end of Ocean

Drive in Miami Beach, city of Jackie Gleason

and Andrew Warhol, the latter of ghosts you might say

presiding over the annual Basel Schnazzel

where I, with a cane between my legs,

on the most comfortable chair in the whole lobby

keeping Kate company and poking her from

time to time to remind her of the good days

of pork unlimited surrounded by

fat galore and bone softened by cooking

for we were spoiled by loving owners

we couldn’t repay enough by growling and barking

as they sat on their sofas doing their own

wondrous barking, the music we listened to

as we stretched out on their wood and wool and grass,

me too for I was a dog in those days

and sort of trotted like a tan horse

up and down the streets of my six rivers.

4 Here, There, and Everywhere, by Carlos Andres Cruz

Katie & Betsy

A dog is A Dog

by T. S. Eliot

Now dogs pretend they like to ght;

They often bark, more seldom bite;

But yet a Dog is, on the whole,

What you would call a simple soul.

Of course I’m not including Pekes,

And such fantastic canine freaks.

The usual Dog about the Town

Is much inclined to play the clown

And far from showing too much pride

Is frequently undignied.

He’s very easily taken in-

Just chuck him underneath the chin

Or slap his back or shake his paw,

And he will gambol and guffaw.

He’s such an easy-going lout,

He’ll answer any hail or shout.

Again I must remind you that

A Dog’s a Dog - A CAT’S A CAT.

6 Photo by Carlos Andres Cruz

Betsy & Rosa

Dogs

by Marchette Chute

The dogs I know

Have many shapes.

For some are big and tall,

And some are long,

And some are thin,

And some are fat and small.

And some are little bits of uff

And have no shape at all.

8 A Taste of Honey, by Carlos Andres Cruz

Betsy

Every dog

must have

his day.

Jonathan Swift

Rosa

Photo by Carlos Andres Cruz

Mother Doesn’t Want a Dog

Judith Viorst, 1931

Mother doesn’t want a dog.

Mother says they smell,

And never sit when you say sit,

Or even when you yell.

And when you come home late at night

And there is ice and snow,

You have to go back out because

The dumb dog has to go.

Mother doesn’t want a dog.

Mother says they shed,

And always let the strangers in

And bark at friends instead,

And do disgraceful things on rugs,

And track mud on the oor,

And op upon your bed at night

And snore their doggy snore.

Mother doesn’t want a dog.

She’s making a mistake.

Because, more than a dog, I think

She will not want this snake.

Photo by Carlos Andres Cruz

Betsy

by Auntie Debbie

Betsy, the Golden Retriever, lives at The Betsy Hotel.

She often sits on one of the comfy chairs in the lobby.

Waiting to greet children from all over the world.

Betsy likes to take a mid-day walk on the beach with her brother Zach.

Sometimes Zach throws a ball and Betsy dives into the ocean to nd it.

She swims back to the shore with the ball in her mouth.

Sometimes Betsy and Zach walk by the edge of the ocean.

Betsy’s little paws and Zach’s big feet leave shapes behind in the sand.

And when the waves come splashing in, they disappear.

The sun disappears too every night to make way for the moon.

And after a good night’s sleep the sun comes back into the sky.

The sand is warm and Betsy is ready for a new day.

Right after breakfast Betsy will nd another favorite spot in the lobby

Where she and her sister Rosa can rest – as they wait to greet

Little visitors like you who have come to Miami Beach from all over the world.

Betsy & Rosa

Photo by Carlos Andres Cruz

Let’s Be Friends

by Betsy & Rosa

We’ll be waiting in the corner

On the fancy terrazzo oor

I know we’ll see you coming

Through the open door

Pet us gently

Pet us slow

Say you love us

Let us know

By how you pet us

Then we will play

Yes, we will play

We will play

We know you’ll pack your bags and go back home

We’ll miss you – but we’ll dream

We will dream

About when you’ll be coming back

To visit us - at our home on Miami Beach

In the lobby of The Betsy Hotel

Promise, we’ll be waiting for you

On the fancy terrazzo oor

We’ll see you the moment you arrive

Through the open door

Photo by Carlos Andres Cruz

Katie

Happiness is a warm puppy.

- Charles Schultz

1440 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139 • thebetsyhotel.com