Lovesick
Tim Kahl
I am let out to bark along the fence
The ghost dog on the other side is memory now
I respond in kind to its commotion
My muddy footprints decorate every plank
I tread through dirt to keep up with my past
and cut a worried path to catch a glimpse
My footfalls stir up a museum of dust
If only I had hooves, I'd be part of a stampede
Are all these half-hearted howls about
the somber territory I defend
in this age of splendid gardens
Am I merely the king of plums and figs
I yearn for the chase of the flesh
the lost heartbeats in the middle of the night
that perpetuate love's evolution
All the birdcalls in the afternoon
remind me of your excited whine
On both sides the summer lingers without us
as the dried foxtails dig into my skin