A dog waits for the right person.
Her nose records stories.
The right person will know her name.
There will be a ball of the right size.
It will not squeak.
No squeaky toys!
The yard will house three point two squirrels.
She will keep the squirrels treed.
The person will understand her contract
prohibits killing squirrels.
As long as they stay in trees.
On the ground—fair game.
Her right person will not use her
to torment frightened people onto slave ships.
Her right person allows laborers to unionize
and drive hard, but fair bargains.
No rounding up cattle.
They have enough problems.
In a famine her right person
will share the last scrap of food with her.
She half-closes her eyes
and sniffs more stories as they walk by.
copyright © 2020 Kenneth P. Gurney
Umflop 