Modern Ark

Everyone's always going somewhere.

And consequently,
someone's always
being left behind.


I've been viewing
birds as a vanguard
of nature, making
sure it's still safe
for the rest of
the animal kingdom,
perched or soaring,
jumping at my approach.
I think when they leave,
we'll know we're really
in trouble.

Boo used to be
the center of
attention,
until we moved,
and the dogs came.
In my sister's eyes,
she's been replaced
by Jill.
Not in mine.

I watched a party
of deer cross the street
a few weeks back,
the first a leader,
making the way safe
for the others.

Yesterday,
a german shepherd
somehow got loose
and first caught my
eye just as I
was getting to work,
ruffling the
Furry Lumpy Things
(and their recent new
friend, some tiny breed
of dog). During the day,
I didn't notice when
the page went over about
some dogs loose in
the parking lot,
that he must still
be out there.
So on the way home,
I must have been
the more thrilled
and concerned to find
the same dog still
trying to find home again.
But it was somewhat better
for him now:
he'd found a tiny companion
of his own (cue the movie!),
a chihuahua,
and they both still had
enough in the tank
to continue marking
territory, like
desperate European explorers.

I imagine by now they're found,
and I'm happy if they are,
and just as happy if they've found
some fine way to cope. It's been
enough time, right?

Yeah, I never know
how to measure that,
either.