“Beware of Dog!” the back gate warns;
a sporting chance is what it gives
to burglars who choose to spurn
it at their peril! For, who yet lives
to see another sun arise
and won’t pay heed to such a sign?
Our beast will surely rip their eyes
out of their skull! Then skull from spine!
At least that’s what Doberman
who figures in the sign suggests.
But, frankly, some deodorants
are more fearsome than the best
our lab can manage. All she does
when strangers come (to hawk their wares
or by mistake) is rub her fuzz-
-zy ears between their knees. She stares
up at others from her bed—
won’t even bother to get up—
unless they’ll scratch her lazy head.
So much for our ferocious pup.