Dogsong

The final part of the book is Russel’s song. The song is about his dogs and therefore is about him. The song is the story of his life and the understanding that he owes it all to his dogs. Among its words are:

Come see my dogs.

My dogs are what lead me,

they are what move me.

See my dogs in the steam, in the steam of my life.

They are me.

Come, see my dogs.

I was nothing before them, no man

and no wife.

Without them no life, no girl-woman breathing

no song.

[…]

Come see my dogs.

Out before me they go.

Out before me they curve

in the long line out

before me

they go, I go, we go. They are me (175).