Computer is a Dog

November 23, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

i wish we had more windows in our house
that were accessible to the animals as they are
so they could gaze out
at the outside world
and be entertained
from the comfort and safety of our own home

[but the cat has the upstairs window
accessible from a hop onto a litter box
and a jump onto a dresser
and, of course, a skip through the curtains]
[and the dog has the downstairs window
accessible from the couch she probably shouldn’t jump on
or the other downstairs window
accessible from a lap
she definitely shouldn’t jump on]
[so i suppose all can be/is well]

November 21, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

the morning poetry
still in the morning
still in the morning
as my father waters all his plants
and as the puppy gets into trouble
in the kitchen
the kitchen of my childhood
which only looks half like it did
in my childhood
and i have already scoped through the dozens
perhaps hundreds
of articles of clothing i still have in this house
to see if anything
still slaps

and now my father is done with the plants
and is playing with the puppy
like he had promised her
and i can see into the dining room
as they play
and play and play
and i think it’s
almost
as good as me bringing him
a grandchild
to play with

[maybe
maybe
maybe when our country
isn’t trying to literally kill
anyone who isn’t a
cis
straight
white
upper class
christian
man

maybe then
we’ll bring him one]

November 20, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

evening poems
while william shatner
tells me all the unexplained mysteries
i should care about

but i simply
don’t

~~~

big yawns
and split-up sleep
and hopefully getting
the cat to eat
or take her meds
at least

[almost done with this trip
and i’m so excited to sleep
in my own bed
once again]

~~~

but seeing people has been absolutely lovely —
i wouldn’t exchange that
for anything

[even eight uninterrupted hours]

November 18, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

what a nightmare
of a night
what with screaming cats
and whining puppies
and keeping us up all night
[especially when we were both so excited
to go to sleep so early
and sleep in just a bit]
but
but
but
however
i’d rather have these animals
and have them interrupt our sleeps
with their hassles
than not have them at all
and that’s the truth

[damn, love is crazy]

October 25, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

the puppy boofs
“BROOOOURRRRGHHHHRRRRMNNNRRRR!!!”
and kip works on a magnum opus
of an op-1 song
made out of sillies from
dropout
make some noise
the squiggle show
josh ruben

and we wait for our bagels
patiently

and i write
sporadically

October 9, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

i tap at the window
to get the attention of the cat
i’ve just fed
and the puppy goes crazy
thinking it’s a stranger
tap tap tapping at our door
and so she barks
and poofs up
and howls
to protect her home
and her kips
and herself
and she’s so brave

October 6, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

the puppy
croodling up next to her brand new toy —
a highland cow
with five squeakers
and a witch hat

and a vibe of playing
i’ve never seen her do
with any
other
toy

is it love?

is it play-acting her hunting instincts?

do we care that much?

no —

we just like to see her
happy

August 19, 2025

/ HJ / Leave a comment

this poor poor puppy

from the street
to a home where
she tore both acl’s
needed surgeries
got nausea and scabs
and bumps all over
[not to mention at least one leg broken]

and finally, when she wasn’t the one giving us
veterinary grief

the cat goes and develops
hyperthyroidism
and irritable bowel disease

and then

as the cat calms down
from all her puking and med-strategizing

the puppy, once again, has a sore on her paw
which she licks and licks
and ends up in a cone
with antibiotics
and steroids
and somehow swollen ears

and we think we get all that under control

and here come the obsessive paw-licks again

i’m sorry, Computer, but you’re going to need to be
in a cone once more,
at least while we’re gone for the day

poor poor poor poor puppy.