Irving Layton

On Being Bitten by a Dog

A doctor for mere lucre
performed an unnecessary operation
making my nose nearly
as crooked as himself

Another for a similar reason
almost blinded me

A poet famous
for his lyrics of love
and renunciation
toils at the seduction of my wife

And the humans who would like to kill me
are legion

Only once have I been bitten by a dog

— Irving Layton, 1912—2006

The Montreal Gazette:
Literary community remembers.

CBC:
"I taught him how to dress, he taught me how to live forever," [Leonard] Cohen once said.

The Globe and Mail:

Irving and Me At the Hospital

He stood up for Nietzsche
I stood up for Christ
He stood up for victory
I stood up for less
I loved to read his verses
He loved to hear my song
We never had much interest
In who was right or wrong
His boxer's hands were shaking
He struggled with his pipe
Imperial tobacco
Which I helped him light

— Leonard Cohen