Right now, this minute, the houses
On either side of me are empty.
In front of me, a cliffed bench and houses,
Behind me, a benched cliff, with houses
Above. Below me, in the Pit, or Hole,
One-streeted houses, and a barking dog.
Ah. Finally! Its stopped, the barking, barking.

Eighteen years now, living in a mined
Community’s house. We’ve been steady.
Been here. The kids grew up, in a rented house.
The mine homes on either side of me have been
Occupied at least five times, in the last eighteen
Years. Oh, shit, that dog’s barking again… Every
Family who’s moved in and out has had dogs.

And, dogs barked, continually, monotonously,
Whether yappie or bassoonful, dog voices
Rent the years of life’s living. Right now,
Both dog neighbors are gone, and so was
The barking, until this one below took over,
Barking, I mean. Its seems to be calling its family,
To let him back into their lives… The first dog

Barking was a cocker spaniel, left alone except for
Feedings, in the backyard, fenced to mine. Years
Later, four Yorkies occupied that space, adjoining
Mine. Two too many years, the barking stopped.
Both sides of me were silent, below was not. BArk
BArk, Bark bark, bark, bark, bark. Redundantly, same
Old shit, same old voice, same old crap, who gives a whit?

The below dog is finally silent, I think it fell asleep. It’s just past
Midnight here, and the quiet is exciting, and deep. Just past
Midnight here, the quiet is deep, just past midnight here,
No more barking disturbs my peace. If it starts up again,
Will I feel crazy, crazied by the barking into the deep?
No matter. The house to the left will soon be occupied,
Cleaned up, I hope it will be bark-free…

Erin Elizabeth Kelly-Moen
Copyright 10/9/10