A reliable nuisance,
every day, the same.
Each morning my dog’s snout
searches for evidence of my existence,
inching closer, nose wet with hope
that I may wake and say his name.
I have never considered
myself a creature of anything,
and how dare I marry
creature behavior
to shame.
My human-ness is what invited
such second-guessing.
Routinely ignoring instincts buried within me,
I cling to false promises of survival.
So I uphold my little rituals,
a safe cave of what’s known.
If I follow my recipe of reassurance,
each step with precision,
nothing
will happen to
me.
