97poems/relief

The bouganvillea bears a look
of melancholy relief
in the gloom of this May morning
one at a time the neighbors
come to engage with their dogs
one a (gentle) quiet young pregnant
woman
the other tightly wired and
50 plus
a natural performer
without an audience
I feel sometimes she is
living her life for me
though I wish she wouldn’t
“Good dog,” she shouts
to the vicious (mean) beast
she lives with
a dog whose bark
terrorizes the herbs
in my garden
and makes every saunter
into yard a tense occasion.

someone told me over
the xerox machine
that it was legal
to shoot your neighbor’s dog
if you had a gun
(more’s the pity) I haven’t

This is a dog who needs
to be shot, a bully animal
whose whole life is spoiling
for a fight.

He bares his teeth
at me through the holes
in the fence
every time I water
he leaps to the top of the
patio railing
to snarl as I (pass,walk) down the driveway

I know his breed
though usually I do not
and now I hate all of them
Finaly I seek divine intervention
with this dog
that too has failed
I stand my ground
as best I can
going about my life
merely trying to succeed
in not taking on
his hatred as my own

Although he meant
well, I’m not sure
it helpted my case
that my husband tried
to remove his snout
with the shovel.

5/16/97