the guard dog

your dog taps
you on the shoulder
while you sleep
and dream
about a girl
you once knew
named cecilia.
what you say
groggily
with his paws
on your chest.
did you hear that
he says, whispering
in his dog like
way. i heard
something down
stairs. maybe
you sould go
down and see
what's going on,
you sit up in
bed and stare at
your dog. why don't
you start barking
or something, growl.
you call yourself
a dog? i'm little
he says, curling
up beside you. look
at me. you outweigh
me by a hundred and
fifty pounds.
i could get hurt.
pffft. i don't hear
anything. it's the pipes,
and you woke
me up in the middle
of a wonderful
dream. cecilia again,
he asks, yes, you
say. now go back
to sleep. grrr. he
says softly. i
really liked her.