my dog licks her paw as we sit on the sofa
her hip warming mine
she turns belly-up for a rub
an offering  of submission
I take as affection
she submits so that I will play
 
she’s teaching me many things
like the way she explores the neighborhood’s margins
–edges of manicured lawns and walkways or the intrigue of thistle
and tall grasses bordering the meadow—
she wanders nose-deep
tongue licking dew in long strokes
 
she tracks the heady scents of her dog community
lifts her nose  and stands on two legs like a prairie dog
to scan for a four-legged silhouette
longing for solid flesh and fur
she settles for traces in grasses
shows me how rich the edges can be