ROLE MODEL

Mid morning is when
the artful thieves appear
at the bird feeder,
their surreptitious arrival
by way of the big oak,
gray radar tails aloft,
eyes always on the prize
that dangles from the lowest branch.

Meanwhile inside the house
where I stand watching,
our yellow mostly Lab
stands watching me.
She knows what I will do
and quivers, trembles, whimpers:
"Oh, I'm ready.
No dog has ever been readier.
Open that door, please, please.
I'll catch ‘em, chomp ‘em, crunch ‘em.
I will, I will."

I obey
and watch her fly out
to another failure.
She returns
astounded but unfazed,
"Next time for sure."

She is my daily inspiration.