After a swim
dogs stand with four
feet planted steady
and shake their soggy,
baggy coat like
a washing machine
agitating a heavy load
prior to the spin cycle.
Water flies. They smile.
Birds bathe every morning
outside my window
as I drink coffee and watch
them abandon themselves
to frenzied flapping.
Water whips into a creamy
froth of ecstatic joy. Beaks
can't bend into gummy,
toothy canine smiles. In lieu of it,
they sing. I wish I could make
water fly and shake
my troubles off
in this exact way.
