Shadow
walking,
crushing juniper berries
at dusk
the dog shadows me
in his absence
* * *
“Shadow” first appeared here in April, 2015. It could be considered a companion piece to “Mother’s Day,” which is included in the July 2016 edition of The Lake.
Music: “Thunderbird” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
O at the Edges 
One of my favourites of yours. So simple yet hits with force.
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Thanks, VJ. It can’t get much simpler than thirteen words!
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You’re welcome.
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Any day/week/month now our 14-yr-old Lab Buttercup will become shadow. As my first dog to ever bond with, I will always feel her presence. Love your recording here. Just played it for Buttercup.
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I still miss Jackboy! But he’s featured on the cover of my latest chapbook, Buddha’s Not Talking, and appears in two of the poems. 🙂
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Nice reading, Robert!
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Thanks very much, Andrew!
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You’re welcome.
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I love the poem, your reading, and the music in equal measure! Together, they make a perfect little gem.
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Thank you, Liz. That dog played a large role in my life for more than a decade.
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You’re welcome, Bob. I had a dog like that. I was devastated when she died.
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