The Story of a Dog

This is the story of a dog
Leo’s body — pressed against my soul
My heart beats — with each smile
Eyes that melt into my own
I fetch your gaze — fixed upon a tree
I lap at the innocence of the world
As I join you in staring at a squirrel
Days slow to seconds, your muzzle upon
A tripod of us and my tired legs,
Feeling your slumber warming me
On a journey you have joined
Two years our adventure, stitched
Together torn stuffies, unvaccinated
Against your energy, your body,
A constant with each walk, each meal,
Each plate an offering at your shrine,
Your tricolours my trinity, my salvation,
Your fur felts the floor, my magic carpet
“What are you doing on the stairs,”
I ask, “Praying? For my awakening?
Are you a riser to trip me up?–
Or to ensure that I take no step without you?”

∞

Submitted as part of “National/Global Poetry Writing Month” (#NaPoWriMo #GloPoWriMo).

Today’s prompt: Day One: “Today’s prompt is based on Robert Hass’s remarkable prose poem, “A Story About the Body.” The idea is to write your own prose poem that, whatever title you choose to give it, is a story about the body. The poem should contain an encounter between two people, some spoken language, and at least one crisp visual image.