481 and 482

My dearest and most gracious of good dogs,

who would have warmed my heart on nights like this,

who made such nights much more bearable slogs,

who could, this melancholy, cruel, dismiss,

your memory makes memory into

even more of a chore than it would be

if I could miss it, not recalling you,

and how you were there for each one with me.

You seep into each thought; for you I told,

whenever anything was ever wrong.

It makes sad memory that much more cold

for being unable to come along.

My dear good boy, your spot’s still on the bed,

and my hand still reaches to scratch your head.

~~~

Apple Cottage (the pet store) v:

Vain Maximillion, the adder snake,

had taken after his own father’s path,

and made more money than one snake should make,

and maximized his millions with math.

Typing always on his calculators,

or making phone calls for his investments,

in arguments with adjudicators

about his property reassessments,

when, on another line, a new call rang.

He dropped his calculator at the name—

and touched, with his own tail, a trembling fang—

it was from Apple Cottage that it came!

He looked to see who it was on the phone,

and saw, who else, but Winnifred alone.