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.