Dogs 2020

ix
(1/20/2020)

Faris
misses
his daily
showers
the most

he knows
that the prophets
of old
never had
such luxuries

and
even though
there is
no one around
to suffer
his odor

he laments
this stink
nonetheless

he assumes
that he will
become
accustomed
to his new
smell
soon enough

beside

by the
time
that he
hikes back
from the spring

most
of his bathing
freshness
has expired

an unreckoned
consequence
of his decision
to flee

he had
exiled himself
from civilization

but still
clings
at times
to the finer points
of being
civilized

he smiles
at himself
in the dark

shakes
his head

then turns
beneath
his rough
woolen
blanket

hoping
for a fresh
whiff

of stale
cave air
instead