frodo

i know a dog that leans in
he doesn’t just lie down beside me
on my lap or plopped into
his shoulder set to the task
loving fully
a sigh to release tension
on both sides
he absorbs bad vibes
smiles and dances when he sees me
understands pain and pleasure
as appetites
joins
it is a learned behavior
both training the other over the last three christmases together
about how we prefer to be loved
he was the serious one
his rescue life before the rescue
from tijuana
to san diego
he made the jump
up and out of poverty and crime
into the warm house of my lover and her two kids
frodo began to believe in man
trust
food shelter
&

12-25-23

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