Habitual,

at end of day

he comes to talk.

His dark, brown eyes are piercing me:

“I’m ready for my lesson, please.”

And, so, our game begins.

I mouth the dark, black, circled ‘ohm’.

Inspired, the terrier in him

‘tempts guttural with teeth and tongue

He must repeat, now, what he hears

yet issues forth his standard bark!

He tries again, a grinding growl

a lower tone with healthy howl

and I, excited, nod him “Yes!”

and he’s beside himself with joy.

The more my face makes round the sound,

he’s rolling on the floor, unbound

in doggy laughter!