Just a Dog

The Labrador stepped
High, in the snow
That had fallen for
What seemed like
Two years of grammar school and
My father,
Icicles on his mustache, frozen
From shoveling the mile long drive,
Stood beside him near
The big hill. Our dog Zachary,
In a long line of dogs,
Was king. Tall and proud, thick
Black coat, always
Looking you in the eyes, thinking.
He stepped high
In the snow that day
When the evergreens were
Powdered and glistening white,
When the only other color was
The blue of my snowsuit, when
The grey light from the sun came behind the
Saddening winter clouds
And I smiled at him,
Sharing our secret.
Earlier he slipped
On the fresh snow and
Tumbled down the steps of our back porch.
And even at nine, I’ll be damned, if
After he stood and shook himself
He didn’t look back at me
Embarrassed.