We came home to dog poop 

But none to necessarily scoop

No, it was strewn across the floor

Smeared along the door 

Even on the couch and computer cord 

Our pup had dipped his tail in it 

Then slid along the walls of the hall 

He hadn’t meant it 

Sometimes unpleasant things happen, like that bumper sticker slogan in Forrest Gump

When we got home from work, it wasn’t time to relax, no, it was time to clean up 

Lysol, baking soda, dish soap, paper towels 

The odor was foul 

We opened the windows 

My husband was over it – this was the third time in a week 

A total disaster for a cleanliness freak

He went to the back of the house to sweep 

I’d tossed my dirty clothes on the floor 

In the bathroom was my husband’s half-filled coffee cups from days before 

Somehow dog fur was in the toothpaste 

Dog fur was in the broom 

I could see the exasperation on my husband’s face

He said, “All I want is a clean space!”

In the kitchen were his very own dirty Tupperware containers 

Sealed up from days past 

The unlocked smell ultimately left me aghast 

Our pup came in from outside – it had been raining

He trekked around with muddy paws 

I shrugged at the mess he was making

Our family met in the living room 

Smeared walls, half-filled coffee cups, worn clothes out of place, dirty hands and brooms 

My husband always likes to speak in parables

We were all tired and soiled 

But somehow being together is royal

My love smiled and said, “We’re all just a bunch of filthy animals”