"it's coming boys"
the old dog with the crooked ear
stretches his nose upwards
he smells it first
the other dog, all bone and nerve,
stands stiff-legged, tail frozen,
his breath caught halfway to a bark
the man squints up into the dark
something moves
a shape breaking the silence
the man, breath held
feels his life tip on some invisible hinge
a coin flipping in the air
“it’s coming, boys”
he mutters,
his voice cracked as dry earth
the dogs don’t move
it falls towards them
soon it will arrive
"it's coming boys"
the old dog with the crooked ear
stretches his nose upwards
he smells it first
the other dog, all bone and nerve,
stands stiff-legged, tail frozen,
his breath caught halfway to a bark
the man squints up into the dark
something moves
a shape breaking the silence
the man, breath held
feels his life tip on some invisible hinge
a coin flipping in the air
“it’s coming, boys”
he mutters,
his voice cracked as dry earth
the dogs don’t move
it falls towards them
soon it will arrive