I sit in my room.
I shiver and smoke
because things are hard,
because I'm taking care of everyone
and no one is taking care of me.
I get up to pee.
I open the door to the dog.
She's always there like a welcome mat.
She goes belly up and asks me
for a love that's easy enough to give.
In the bathroom, I think about how
she follows me everywhere I go.
The two of us have long conversations about
going outside, eating, bad breath,
assorted backyard animals�
She never gets mad when I call her
Bellyslut, or Old Lady.
And she's so good about eye contact.
I trudge back to my room and
bend down to ask her
if she's taking care of me.
She administers a quick, smelly kiss.
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