there’s a jackal in the garden
all golden with laughter
showing its teeth at
having gotten in
in spite of the dog
who’s the size of a mountain
charged with protecting
the trees in this minor eden
the laughter leaks from
the matted pelt from
the working eye that weeps
at how much it took to get here
a single golden jackal echoing
through this endless garden
that continually gives
as if
kissing the earth
as if
a newly empty mother
while charged with standing watch
this untied dog bears witness
his fur so beautiful he blends in
noticed only if he sighs or
howls at the moon of what
could have been
the jackal has walked for months
has crossed sands that nipped
at every step through lands
of sticky black earth licking at her
every chance they had
finally after seasons of struggle
of seeing through a single working eye
of carrying a world within
the jackal coughs out her treasure
& breathes the scent of new life
as she becomes an echo
the watchdog tilts his head on high
sighing long for the eventual problem
& takes the pup by the scruff
licking it clean & cradling it warm
as minor eden rings with golden laughter