Walking the Dog
bringing out the leash -
Tule tries to dance
out of his skin
dogs behind their fence
bark and shrill as we walk by -
Tule doesn't look
Tule forgets why
he spent so much time sniffing
that one dull bush
Tule, sitting down,
leans against my leg -
a good part of life
out of the water
Tule rushes up to me
to shake it off
back out of the lake
the water on his belly
all trotted off
Tule, shaking off
the lake water, leaves his ears
inside out
on my walk today
led on a tight leash
by a big black dog
Tule shakes himself -
rain flies off - his big soft ears
beat his cheeks and head
Tule barked at
through all the rain-streaked windows
by indoor dogs
crossing the garden
Tule tramps down young onions -
his eyes say, "I'm here!"
on our walk round the block
only one mud puddle left -
Tule walks through it