What possessed the minds of primitive
people to tame the wolf predator
Encouraging it to scavenge at the
edges of fires, camps, trails
Nudging the sideways dance
of evolution, from wild to
companion to loved one
At what point did an ancient human’s
heart first break at the death of a canine

The marvel of the dog
To sit quietly attending
each smell’s library of meaning
To put your head in a lap
at just the right moment
To be willing to run
until your heart explodes
To catch the frisbee until
your grinning mouth bleeds
The purest gifts of being
The ecstasy of breath
The full-on living of every
day as the best day

Upon the loss of a black lab, lover of
sun-warmed grass and beanie
babies, I took to my bed, dreaming
deeply of dogs, trails of fur and
car rides and who’s a good girl

Waking then to wonder what could
we possibly do to ever truly be
worthy of a dog’s love