Sunbathing

My neighbor's new store-bought dog yaps again,

hungry, crazy with heat, maybe both,

stretching his short chain until he chokes.

The little dab of sunshine I lay down in

has drifted away, into the shrubs,

but I'm not budging. I'm surely dying!

my cruel neighbor's pup keeps yelping

and, so help me, I suppose he is,

his poor dog's life ticking away like my own.

I guess I'll stay right here in the cool shade

and let him cry for us both-our sad,

single bodies, our chains and our bones,

all burning down to ash and grime

quickly enough on their own, sweet time.