My puppy sticks her whole
face in the water and blows bubbles
over and over

after our walk around the loop trail
ending in the creek
where we stand in the shade of

hemlocks who are dying from
damage caused by the woolly adelgid,
but Maple doesn’t know that

isn’t aware of catastrophe or worried
for our fate in these coming days.
She just knows how good it feels to

stick her head in the current and let
water wash her senses with joy.