It's cold outside
The old man gathers sticks
With a graying, steel-blue, shaggy dog by his side
Watching intently
He licks the runny nose of his best friend
They manage a spark
And in the heat of the feeble fire
The dog curls up on his lap, looks up into his eyes for approval
And for an opportunity to approve
Inspecting the little bear paws
The old man finds a tiny thorn in the black toe
The little dog squeaks, gently bites, and then
Licks the hand of the surgeon
With the care of a mother cleaning her newborn
When the old man looks down at opal eyes of his companion
A flutter from the speck of a butterfly tail
Tells of innocent beauty that tickles his elbow
When the little dog's ears stand erect
Doubling the size of his tiny head
One falling--totally inadequate for the task
But he perks up and gives a low growl
Surveying his tiny territory
The old man looks around in suit, utters in a trembling, weak voice,
"It's okay buddy, it's okay"
With a firm, yet tender brushing of the golden-blonde bangs
Reassured, the little dog lays his head on the cold hand
The firm, determine eyes submit to trust the old man
And rolling his eyes upward
Two white crescents frame the soul of the little angel
Straining to see the eyes of his old friend
The eyes that delighted in him at every glance
Took every chance to comfort him
From when he was just a little wind-up toy
With no off switch, no pause
But always the old man's perfectly beautiful little boy
The thin, black lips contrasted against his white teeth
To create a huge, goofy, Don Quixote grin
As if to say,"Sleep old friend, I'll watch out for you"
And he sighed--all was well
Because he felt the warm blood flowing through the veins
Of his best friend
Love with no eyes, no ears, no touch, no smell, no thought
Undeniably love is this
As he's stroked to sleep
The little dog quietly snores
Lying still across his best friend
In the manner one would throw himself across a grenade
Spread out like a bear rug
To protect from the explosion of hate that is the world
The little dog, in his naive, yet sure manner
Had somehow protected his friend
The old man pulls a blanket over them both
And loudly snores
It's Winter
All over the world