Stupid Dog

The neighbors across from the street
Have a stupid dog.

All it does is yap and yap
All day and night like it has a job
To make every nerve ending in my
Brain short circuit

I sat on the curb that day with my cold hands
Shoved into the front pocket of my hoodie,

My feet tucked away into ratty old converse
That were once a bright white but faded
Into a gross brownish gray

The wind weaved in between my eyelashes
And dug into the sockets,
Telling me to cry because you know you
Should cry because holding in your feelings is
Bad and you know this and I don’t understand
Why that simple concept won’t go through your head

It nipped away at my burnt fingertips,
Lifting up my sleeves and revealing
The cemetery of every past mistake I’ve ever
Made

I tapped my foot and the rock in my throat
Slipped and fell into my stomach, forcing my
Eyes to erupt into a downpour against
My frozen cheeks

As I buried my face into the sleeves
Of my sweatshirt, a cold nose pushed up
Against my knee

Stupid dog licked at the salt pooling at my chin

I can’t explain the feeling,
I’m no psychologist,
But I don’t think even Freud could explain
Why stupid dog made me smile.

Franny’s not that bad, anyways.