A Moment of Reckoning

It was well after dinner and a few Merlots

when I decided to stretch out on the rug.

My nine year old Shih Tzu, Max, had denied

my most wonderful offering of human food,

Pot Roast and Mashed Potatoes.

He went ape over it last night

when we had guests for dinner

but tonight I was cooking up

something else and he did not want to eat

luscious leftovers, even though any other

animal would have devoured them.

When he does this "rejecting thing" with me

I must admit . . . I DO become the animal

I say things I cannot repeat but

harbor in my sorrowful Dog Mother heart

So I lay there on the carpet

deep breathing and telling myself

Max is not a human, I can't give in!

And then he comes to me with his white fluff 

fluffing and his big brown eyes all full of fun

rolling and pressing his head on mine

wagging his tail, hopping away and then

rushing back to nibble my ears

panting wildly

and I surrender once again

to this little creature who must have been

human once , I'm sure . . . but not now!

And I remember how brief his life will be

and it is I who must give into

this moment of reckoning and meet him

halfway barking and wagging on the bridge. 

Joanne Cucinello ©2013