Dog

the biggest piece of machinery I ever saw moving quietly down the street and surrounded by the scared cars that I'm used to and whipping through and out of the mind
the mind of mortal minion that is man
clawing at the dirt and patting the empty and hot, sun-baked sidewalks of youth and future
this is the same earth that is in my parents backyard and the yard of my angel dog
she is a big, present, glorious animal and also an animal in my mind that wakes me up and makes me think about the times she was a puppy in my arms
now the thoughtful dog of experience and animal courage and wisdom
what I lack
and seek
and out of the freeway when I'm coasting down to Burbank in the perpetual morning I seek wisdom at the end of the day
but go home on the same freeway and watch sadly the sun go down and beg it to stay
stay sun
stay dog
please don't die on me while I'm in California