Let's make this birthday one to remember.

84 years old (Born on February 19, 1941)

Happy Birthday, Stephen Dobyns! May your day be filled with more poetic beasts and fewer cold dog soups. Your words have conquered literary worlds—from the fierce verses of "Concurring Beasts" to the intriguing canine chronicles in "Black Dog, Red Dog." Clearly, you've mastered turning animals into art!

And let's not forget how your novel "Cold Dog Soup" leaped from page to screen—not once but twice—proving that even chilly canines deserve their Hollywood moment. Here's wishing you another year full of inspiration (and perhaps a warmer bowl of soup). Keep delighting us all; literature wouldn't wag without you!