I'm walking dogs these days,
one through the streets 
of my childhood: 
a Beagle
named Amy
and I 
traipse up 
Maple, 
left down
 Putnam,
around 
Courthouse Square 
with it's 
red and blue lit
 statue, 
in the predawn quiet
 as lights come on
and the papergirl
glides by
 on her bike
no matter the weather,
Amy, her nose to the ground.


And Mattie at home,
my border collie 
friend, 
up the road,
past the barn, 
through the woods, 
off leash,
sitting still
when  trucks go by.
She never tires 
of chasing sticks, 
racing birds, 
running through
the cornfield stubble.

How I love
walking dogs!

Thank you for reading this!