When Dogs Sing Like Birds

A plucked turkey flew
along a long hallway.

A one eyed kitten
walked across the table,
slapped at senior cats
in their cardboard boxes,
observed the babka crumbs,
and jumped into an
empty box, tumbling to
the floor.

Cockatiels fed on sunflower seeds.
Two parrots, two chins in their habitat,
and two turtles watched as the caged canary
fell off the shelf. Barbara got
a net, and caught the bird by the window.

Where have you been all my life?
the old Aussie, asked the eight week old shepherd/hound.
We two alone will sing like birds in the cage.
The puppy chewed the pencil and pooped on the floor.

Fierce skies morphed over
Clove Lake Park.
Walking her up Occident
Avenue, I saw blood
in the old Aussie's stool.
Later she slept
incontinent on the porch,
with newspapers under her
to absorb the flow.