On New Year’s Eve some venture out to the bar

Me, I go to the park

Some guy named Steve yelled as others entered, 

“Watch out, he’s a kisser!”

My kind of people hang out in that place – all to get their fix

Despite the cold air

We hold our iced coffees and throw tennis balls and sticks

We swap names and breeds 

All the wagging tails and slobber somehow meet our needs 

The kisser, turns out his name was River, jumped up to my cheek 

His tongue wrote on my face like ink 

My heart was warmed, better than the best of spirits could do 

Across the way, a woman yelled, “Blue!” 

He’d stolen another’s frisbee 

Where that coveted toy came from is a mystery

The creatures all ran a trail 

On the last day of December, it felt like a fairy tail

Above it all, I saw my beloved Golden’s tail

Sticking up like a tip of pompous grass 

I had to laugh 

I told Steve not to tell my husband 

The one woman said, “That River is somethin’”

“He gave me his paw”

She said, “My husband wouldn’t believe me at all!”

Haus, the French bulldog, pranced proudly

I marveled at the Irish setters 

Their lustrous coats and gentle souls made the day all the better 

I picked up a few tips on how to clean my car 

As the labs and Border collies ran fast and far 

We all agreed, among the sunlight and glowing dog tags ,that it was more splendid than any bar 

Best of all, I got to bring my favorite pup – Billy – home with me 

After all of the festivities

We cuddled on the sofa 

Home by sunset

My husband was in the middle 

He told me I had something on my cheek

It was dog drool 

I let all the fur on my sweater speak 

He said, “If the dog park makes you happy, go every week”

A tennis ball from Billy’s mouth dropped

Next to where he was plopped 

Puppy fur fell through the air to the floor 

My husband cracked a beer 

I held my family near 

As we rang in the new year