Abigail’s Dog

This is Scout

the Valentine’s Day puppy my students

talked me into buying

when I was eight months pregnant.

We named him Scout

for the fictional horse I wrote in high school.

He was Abigail’s dog,

Rufus’ pal.

He was easy to dress up and ruffled

like a mother hen

at the slightest noise.

We lost him just as he came,

sometime in the quiet of the night.