the girl said
where you live you not have ownerless-dog ?
no I said expecting congratulation
on the super-efficient ownerless-dog-free land from which I come
her face turned fretful
to the open window which gaped on the street
sad she said, so sad
we loves the dogs
and the dogs loves us
i turned to where she looked
out over her city of dogs
soaring and lolling and fat in the sun
doing the good work of getting loved
receiving and receiving
in a place which has known loss
over and forever