the night calls

and the dog slaps
her paws on my blanket–stirs
up dark energy, and gets
frustrated because she hears
the word, “No!”

as she ages, she becomes
bolder with her antics, and
I am urged to continue
to display patience, but
the deep Southerner in me
wants to shoot fire
from my lips, curse the
momentarily defiant ways,
and send her to her room.

these battles are taking
all of my peace.