The “Dog’s Death” That Made Me Smile

In a “Dog’s Death” Updike describes the death of a dog. Updike is able to describe the death in a beautiful and painless way because of the words and descriptions that he chooses to use. At first glance of the title I was under the impression that this was going to be a very sad poem about a dog owner mourning for their loss of their beloved pet. That was not the case as I continued with my reading. Updike goes into great description of the pain the dog is going through, but at the same time makes it sound like something beautiful.
Updike uses a lot of imagery to show what is happening to the dog during its death. “As we teased her with play, blood was filling her skin And her heart was learning to lie down forever…We found her twisted and limp but still alive… Nevertheless she sank and, stiffening, disappeared.” These are some examples of the vivid detail and imagery that Updike uses when describing the death of the dog. In the first quote the owner of the d...