Dogs Love Trees by Don Kingfisher Campbell

DOGS

LOVE

TREES

A

poetic

libretto

by

Don

Kingfisher

Campbell

She lives in a world of noise

In the middle of the quiet night

She hears footsteps to the bathroom

It's late and she's sleepy

In the morning she senses

Doors opening and window

Shades scrolled up and open

Then comes cooking sounds

Click click of activated stove

Sizzling wok, stirring wand

Welcome odors arrive to table

She lifts herself, saunters over

To get near the meat content

A few bites of human food

She heads to the aluminum

Plate of kibble she knocks into

Laps water from a proximate tray

It is time for a walk outside

Swinging of iron gated entry

Paws on the concrete driveway

Occasional passing car

Distant construction bangs

Across the street one smells

She barks back in response to this

Sighted fenced canine protecting

After whizzing on grass lawn

Grandma's boots jogging in alley

She sniffs patch, inspired to squat

The crinkling of plastic bag

The closing of trash bin

The resumption of trotting

The tug of the leash helps

But she knows instinctively to 

Step on familiar smooth floor

She turns and turns in a circle

To lie on her beloved bed

Proceeds to lick herself clean

Sometimes nibbling too well

Removing a tuft of fur because

She misses her vacationing master

If we go out without her

Sukie can hear the inserted key

And wake up from a nap

Terrestrial

Thanks for the sun setting

How the red aura settles

On the dark mountain range

And far below the silhouettes 

Of buildings lit with signs

And traffic lights multiplicity

Closer still homes rest on

Their concrete foundations

Supported by packed earth

And cars in the driveways

Also parked by the curbs

And sidewalks between them

A woman walks her dog

A man steps into his vehicle

Each their separate ways

Then the cracks in the street

The cooling air flowing

Over all, over all, over all

Father's Day Morning Stroll

A mourning dove coos for a partner

Who flies to the branch above to meet

Together quiet in the tree for awhile

One squirrel chases another up

And down the trunk and around 

They scurry off to the next arbor 

Husband and wife walk their dog

Over sidewalk and alley to spend

Cool fresh time in such company

I love to sniff the world

 

I put my nose to the ground

There I have found the odors

I seek in my day's existence

I need to whiff the concrete

Looking for traces of you

Where you last did pee

I usually detect you around

Clumps of grass smelling

Much like what came out

Then I am compelled to

Take a nibble of remnants

You left behind for me

My master doesn't approve

But understands it's my

Nature to take and give 

Something for you too

To Inhale my sweetness

Exited from the same hole

The universal messages

We send to each other

Just to say I think of you

Even though we haven't 

Met I know you smell so

Good you inspire me

Blind

If I couldn't see

I'd be playing

Pinball with the 

Sidewalk too

And I would feel

Every bump

Each dip in

The concrete 

I'll hear birds 

Chirping above

The close whoosh

Of passing cars

Feel cool wind

Rushing over

My moving body

In the morning

I guess I would

Learn my favorite

Sense would be

To smell all

The concrete

The grass

The urine

The exhaust

And the air

Between everything

Will always be

The best sensation

Huntington Meridian

Bushy trees like

giant broccoli

Pointed tall

pines undermatched 

across the street

by church steeple

Towering palms

on side of road

sway like pom poms 

over elementary school

on opposite side