Why The Chicken Crossed The Road

 

May all beings be well and happy.

Dogs Take On Our Broken Hearts

 

It's no small thing.
A woman's husband dies
after a long marriage.
She is left afraid to date
in a world of scammers
during a pandemic.

A man's wife leaves
after a long marriage.
Some women like him,
but he's still in love
with her.

There are dogs.
Lots of them.
More coming
each day.

They need homes
like we do.
We can give them
a roof
a bed
some toys
water
food.

And they take on our hearts.

We cry, and they feel it,
so they come up on our lap
or push their jaw down
onto our thigh
on the couch.

They awaken to our cries
in the deep night
but pretend they don't hear.
They don't want to keep us
from returning
to sleep.

Every morning
they smile at us:
It's a new day!

It's not that they've forgotten
that our heart is broken.
They want us to forget.

They say, let's have some fun!
Let's eat something good!

Love me.

And, no matter how well
or how poorly
we manage to overcome
our broken hearts
moment to moment
to love them,
they remain beside us
all the while,
through every tear
and sigh.

Dogs take on our broken hearts.