credit – swb

Seal Doggie

Some years back, we sought
a pup to grace our home.
One look and I was sold —

her smiling face of tan and brown
both wide and blunt, breed
unknown and everyone’s guess.

Her heritage sprang leap by bound,
speed clearly part of her design;
then, too, her love of play, of chase

and jump, of romp and tug. But when
she found Her Pond along our endless
walks of cornfield, shore and

treed lane, she plunged and swam,
head held high, that smile beguiling
as she bobbed fore and side

black snout round ‘twixt whiskers
framed by rounder-still arc
of head, eyes squinting against

sun and spray; her face and yet
not her face, more harbor seal
at home in solo coastal play.