Dog and turtle
A poem by Joe Cottonwood

Dog and turtle

Leggy dog, extrovert
nose down, neck extended
profile of a construction crane 
on tiptoe creeps forward, 
a ballet of caution, curiosity
approaching turtle. 

Introvert turtle
profile of stone
retreats into shell at road center.

Dog ear and nose evaluate 
subtle song of gurgling belly 
detect Triassic fragrance 
health of heartbeat plodded 
through a quarter-billion years.

From dinosaur footprint
pond water grows petroleum
to asphalt roadway warm with sun.
Egg-swollen body in shell of endurance 
trudges from a primeval planet 
seeking a spot to lay
her aura of grace.

Dog a recent breed (like you, like me)
watches as I lift shell and body safely 
to soft dirt, weedy ditch—
our small grace 
to an ancient soul.

About the Author:

Joe Cottonwood has repaired hundreds of houses to support his writing habit in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. His latest books of poetry are Foggy Dog and Random Saints. He can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JoeCottonwood. His website is http://joecottonwood.com

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