Our old neighbors had
their dog’s bark removed.
Not something I ever knew
you could do.
The dog made a gasping,
choking sound after that,
bringing neighbors over to see
if he was okay. I was
canine crazy that spring,
my nerves shot from his
constant bark.
After they had it removed,
his pained silence
troubled me even more,
it was so much
like my own.

5/27/99