on the death of the family dog by David LaBounty

and maybe
our shared
grief will
bring us back
together

and maybe
she will
say that
I know
it’s been
a year
but perhaps
we could
try again

and I
would come
back home

triumphant
like a
fallen king
returning
from exile,
carrying

loads of
laundry
my ex-wife
knows
nothing
about

the laundry
filling
both of
my empty
hands