The garden grew so big 
Every year
Me and my dog would walk through the tomato plants
Snatching and eating to our hearts’ desire
I’d throw one in his mouth
He would hold a plant still to pick a cherry tomato off
Knee-deep in briars and mud
And hiding in the pumpkin vines
I’d scooch my way out without a single person spotting me
My dog, however, would run out,
Jump in the pond,
Howl, and
Let everyone know exactly who he was
I had scratches on me a mile long
Bruises so yellow and
Matted short brown hair
When the winter came the weeds
Died and the ground got crunchy until the cows
Squished it down for spring
My dog is still buried under the tree over there
Right where the garden would have been
The following year
I couldn’t bare to throw a handful of cherry tomatoes on top that dirt
Because I knew he would have been so disappointed
That I wasn’t eating them