Canción

A dog I love growls

at the sight of me,

can no longer bear

his diablos, crazed

with the here, there,

how, all around him

the air howling. I sense

temptation to dive

into the void—glint

of his coat, hint

of a yelp a blade

to the throat.

Unclench, I say;

look: your ghost

father swims

in your ghost mother,

opens his snout

in your direction,

the sound reaching you,

soothes your sleep,

puts out the blaze

in your head,

is a quilt wrapped

around you, unfurls

down the path you tread,

or flaps in the wind

while you feed, keeps

you company, though

your spirit

is still a fuse—