The outside dog wants in.
In cold weather like this
He barks just to stay warm.
Nothing he barks at is important:
The goats next door, the squirrel
Embezzling bird seed, or the
Barn cat teasing him from
The other side of the fence.
His view of life is limited.
He has no regard for the opinion
Of neighboring dogs,
Much less for mine.
A creature of habit,
If only he’d jump up and fetch
That cloud, a single grey beauty
Dragging its tail across the sky
The same way he drags
His ass across the carpet
Whenever I’m stupid enough
To let him back inside.
D.G. Geis lives in Houston, Texas. He has an undergraduate degree in English Literature from the University of Houston and a graduate degree in philosophy from California State University. His poetry has appeared in 491 Magazine, Lost Coast, Blue Bonnet Review, The Broadkill Review, A Quiet Courage, SoftBlow International Poetry Journal, Blinders, Burningword Literary Journal, Poetry Scotland (Open Mouse), Crosswinds, Scarlet Leaf. and Sweet Tree. He will be featured in a forthcoming Tupelo Press chapbook anthologizing 9 New Poets and is winner of Blue Bonnet Review's Fall 2015 Poetry Contest.
