Two Chocolate Labs in the City

For Delta & Murphy. My two chocolate labs that bring so much joy.

 Leashes taut, tails high with pride,

We march through morning’s traffic tide.
Two chocolate labs, one heart apiece,
A symphony of joy on leash.

Their noses lead through trash and toast,
Through scents the city guards the most.
They greet each hydrant like a friend,
Then tug ahead, around the bend.

Pigeons scatter, squirrels dare,
They lunge with glee, no time to spare.
A doorman laughs, a child squeals,
Their happiness rolls on four heels.

We weave through dogs in sweaters bold,
Through markets, parks, the brisk and cold.
They find the puddles, leap with grace,
And shake the world onto my face.

At red lights, we perform our dance,
Sit. Stay. Sniff. Then sideways glance.
When green, we sail on noisy seas,
A trio chasing small-town peace.

And though the towers scrape the sky,
And sirens wail as people fly,
These dogs, with fur like cocoa deep,
Remind me where my soul can sleep.

For in their steps, I’m pulled back home,
No matter how far out we roam.
Two chocolate labs, a leash, a lane,
And joy that walks me through the strain.