Max

by Michael Estabrook

He’s protecting the homestead barking
and lunging at the lawnmower guy
on the other side of the window
a product of man’s domestication
for protection, companionship.

Shall we grill tonight dear
or get Chinese take-out or Mexican?

Doesn’t matter to me.
Did you see on the news
more pilot whales beached themselves
near Judique on Cape Breton?
Wonder why they do that.

No one knows why.  Could be confusion
caused by sonar
or fear of shark attacks or from poison
or pollution or something in the weather
who knows?

Max for crying out loud stop barking!  Quiet!

Chinese it is.
Does Max know they eat dogs in China?