the caballero’s dog

howls through the night

as if to prove to us

that air is what we breathe

and sun warms our skin

 

the caballero’s dog

knows things

has visions

sniffs out hidden meanings

and fetches them back to his master

 

in the darkest part of night

his howls peal from the east end of the valley

they catch the current of the stream running from the glacier

and careen down the valley to the villages below

 

moments later the howls spring off the southern ridge across from our camp

pulled by gravity yet refusing earthly landing

they echo into air

and make their way to camp

 

I remain awake for hours or minutes

waiting for the dog’s next song