The Lover as a Beggar as a Dog

Paul Petrie

To come, a small dog wagging to your feet,
and plead by somersault and begging paw
forgiveness for that breakage of the law
you shattered first within the judgement seat;
to come, when I have in my heart the beak
of plummet eagle, eagle cliff and claws,
and add the flaunt of justice to our flaws
was not the choicest course, or the most sweet.
Yet, when you lowered doves from the marble skies,
and buried a tired head within my fur,
I felt the beggar trembling in your pride
and heard the pleading somersault of tears,
remembering-in a dog's tongue healing lies,
and in a dog's deep fur a flight from fear.