Our island dogs come with Beware! overseering
Good boy! duty pats ‒ so naturally we avoid
them, not believing for one second night barks
to day bites . fence mates unrelated.
Many protest What life is this? we get stoned
for looking homeless and bottom fed . sheep keep
fellowship, book rule matter shorn.
Honestly? we prefer
flying kite with string . to boarding card from scratch.
Not sure where to turn some woofers stop off some
play sniffy | they hump hikeup’ble tales for news and hope
done! they don’t get coital stuck ‒ like with post
colonial take strain < ? > our tug either/or face away.
Assuming propriety ships are required for the coming
soon of oil here . after we could build glass view
elevators, and avenues for poodle walks; plus vets
and Ms widows who teach gallery breeds how to Aie
aie aie! bête-à-tête underminding.
Street strays no futures fear . gear game from yesterday.
Tongues panting some wag readiness for entry
revel corners, stash pit patrol.
Bone worthy? you’d be
surprised what leg whites our islands toss ~ loin browning
feasts of booyah baisse ~ Walcott beach, yeah . Sunday
palm refreshing.
– W.W.
CHARON
A bowl of food, a pat on the head, a kick,
However friendly, from Qat’s lickable foot
Would prove to be not enough for poor Charon
Who didn’t like being that poor, one more salvaged pet
On a cushion. Now in North America
Where less is more is a joke, he just wanted
More; not getting it, he felt starved and fed up.
In this New World he sometimes forgot it was
His lot to be a dog that would always need
As much attention as matched his faithfulness
To his mistress of the moment (more than one passion’s
Itch at any time was that self-styled ‘senna-
mennalist polygamous sonofabitch’
Capable of scratching, bowl, pat, treats, kick, scram).
(from “Charon’s Anchors” by Brian Chan, 2018)
FARJOURNEY CARIBBEAN 