Julie

I love dogs
But god I can't stand
The smell

I grew up
With dogs
I wonder why
The smell never
Got to me

The last dog
I loved
Julie
Beautiful lovely Julie
You walked out
With oozing cancer puss
Out the house
Is this what I remember
In some subconscious cell
As a dog smell
A scary child's dream
Of something adult
And not explained
Is this why I love dogs
But hate them too

The caged car
That came calling
Dad said
You need to
be put to sleep
But they couldn't
Wipe
That stink
Which reminded me
Of all the love you gave
Lingering under the stair
They you made home
To die.

But that's the smell
I remember
Julie
How I loved you.

The dog smell.