the enricher

ushering in a special calm
that no one human can ignore,
even the most cut-throat murderer
can be humbled by the gaze of
that which has been referred to
time & time again as
“man’s best friend.”

ode to the dog,
over 400 million strong,
making it easier to cope through these
days, meandering with us through
this stale existence,
enriching,
enriching,
enriching,
filling our lives with smiles that need
not apologize,
that need not be judged,
that need not feel obligated to anything
but the unconditional love
that comes from a bond between us,
wo/man & canine.

never betrayed by your dog,
you know what trust can be,
never thwarted against by your dog,
you know what peace can be,
never angered, never made to feel less,
never to feel unconnected,
never to feel unwanted,
you know what life can be---
all made possible through these beautiful
animals that
we take care of,
that take care of us.

fortunate are those who have taken it upon
themselves,
to allow a dog to join them
on the walk down this brief, brief,
path.