FARLEY

You were the last thing I needed, another dog

Just after having our last put down

And me spiralling before that awful day

As it was, to learn that you were coming

To live with us – I wasn’t very gracious

About it, but it just seemed too much

I don’t remember the early weeks

Much except that you cowered a lot

Looked like you expected to be hit if anyone

Moved too quickly, or spoke too loud

And while I don’t recall this, apparently

You ran away at least twice and had to be

Bailed out of the pound – once you were gone

For over a week – it seemed you could hardly

Believe anyone wanted you – did you sense

I couldn’t care less ... I regret that now

 Then, as I started to feel better, you

Came wherever I was and stayed near me;

I began to appreciate your gentleness

Could not quite believe the mix you purportedly

Sported – oh, your Border Collie traits were

Obvious, especially on walks; off-leash, you

Would try herding every animal in sight

But part wolf? At first I couldn’t see it

Then I noticed you in the yard with your head

Thrown back, ears pricked up and snout sniffing

The wind, nostrils quivering, for all you were worth

And when I told the vet you caught mice – he

Said that was common for canines but when I

Told him you also ate them, he hesitated, looked

At you at little more closely and said, that was

More a lupine feature and respectfully, admitted

You might have quite a bit of that mixture after all

Farley, the wolf-dog that shares my life and lets me

Share his – gentleness, muse, confessor, my pet.

S.E.Ingraham©