To Hala
The black dog stands by his grave and
Wags his tail at
The sight of me
He hasn’t seen me for a while but
That means nothing
— Friendship has no expiration date
His coat is thick and shiny as in his prime
His stance is strong, his
Ears are up, his eyes clear and knowing
— He knows it all now
The last year he dug for rabbits with
Conviction in the powdery high-desert soil
On occasion he found one too
But maybe he also found the deeper earth
To his liking
— A good smell, a cooler feel, a
— place safe from the thunder that
— made him quake
He is there now, facing east as if beginning again, in
His own burrow
— Maybe the rabbits will dig for him?
The black dog stands by his grave and
Wags his tail as
I drift off to sleep
He tells me he is happy and free —
— He always was, wasn’t he?
He stands guard over the black night to make sure
Love is safe under the covers
Copyright 2013 Carol Rosenblum Perry