The Dog Poo Poem by RIC BASTASA

i have a dog whose
vice is to poo in the
neighborhood

its favorite poo place
is mrs. mendoza's backyard
since it is not
fenced

the old woman of course
is pissed
about the poo and the pee
in her flower garden

one day she told me
that that dog must be put
in the dog-pound
if necessary if i cannot
attend to putting it
in a dog house or
leash it

it is my favorite dog
and i cannot afford to do
it

here in the village
all dogs are free to go around
and play with other
dogs of the neighborhood

i must have been too liberal
or lax with the misdeeds of
my dog

spontaneously, with much
regret, i told her that she
better talk to my dog and
settle their differences

i have talked to this dog
and nothing's changed
it is still a dog ever since
who looks at me
quizzically as though saying
' i am so sorry
but in our dog world we poo
and pee
anywhere when we feel doing it
and it is us
without much fuss'

i look at it as it wags its tail
and sits beside me

'how can i ever ever send this
dog away? '

i wish mrs. mendoza should have
a dog too and perhaps later understand
what is a dog poo.