I saw a dog on the lawn
of a house I haven't seen
I mean the yard or the dog
My mom went outside
without her oxygen tank
and the dog , who was miserable
until then, began to frisk
and wag its tail.
She let it in and sat in her
armchair, the one she and
dad brought all the way from
England
and curled this long spotted
dog in her lap
she nuzzled this quivering pup
and began to shrink and
draw into a ball disappearing
fading but smiling
the beige oxygen tank
and wistful tubing hissing
ruefully and turning into
the gentle shoosh of wind
until all I was left with
was a snoozing
spotted dog
who smelled of
lilac and bacon.
