My last dog
was a red sand dog
of autumn shades
and biting flashing glory
gleaming fur and stretching legs
across flowered meadows
where deer slept at night
under stars winking
like the tiny glints of silver in his
eyes
deep open dog eyes
of honest self and wonder
waiting for the next walk or
run
through grass heavy and wet
nose twitching, wanting just to lay it all
out

but he, like the others before him, was
put coldly to death
by my neighbor