A Dog's Life

A Dog’s Life

I look at my human with great limpid eyes,
while, furiously, and with rhythm, wag my tail,
finally releasing a pathetic, whimpering whine,
a ploy that usually works when all else fails.

My dog-hood is embarrassed and humiliated,
but he finally pets me and asks me what is wrong,
as if I can speak his language and answer him,
I exhale, so he smells my breath which is quite strong

He recoils and inside I laugh my doggy laugh,
while I run and fetch my favorite ball,
with sufficient slobber, I drop it at his feet,
he knows what I want but is going to stall.

He croons to me as if I am an imbecile,
while making excuses to not take me outside,
sighing, he snaps on my leash and heads out the door,
soon he begins sniveling as a I lengthen my stride.

Struggling to get my human-slug to move faster,
I turn and show him my pearly whites in a smile,
nonplussed, he begins white-knuckling the leash,
as I drag him, making him pant, for nearly a mile.

Happily for me, tiring for him, we reach the dog park,
my entire body wags as I think, “Let’s play ball, let’s play ball”,
with limp wrist he tosses my beloved ball close-by,
then heads for a bench upon which his tired body falls.

Being patient, I wait until his head and jaw drop,
thinking, “I’m free at last!”, I run to smell other dogs,
in a meet and greet using our superior noses,
we smell each others’ behinds during a slow jog.

As he begins to stir, I run and sit by his feet,
now awake he looks at me with love and joy,
then he throws my ball far out into the park,
“Thanks for watching me; you’re such a good boy!”

© Copyright 2016 Mari McKee (marim at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.

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