The man helped, carried, the
old terrier
down the two steps
and put him down
on the carpet
of the poetry and philosophy
department
where he fell over
and lay on his side,
the old terrier

I became hysterical
but the attendants,
concentrating on noticing
changes in demeanour,
did not remark this

and left me reading
in books of foreign poems
about everyday things
rendered mysterious
by being noted down
and he, the man, set
the old terrier up
right.