The vet called,
“I’ve got a dog for you,
if you want her.
She just wandered in.
Some part Brittany Spaniel.”

We called her Annie
for Orphan Annie.
Annie liked being petted,
playing chase with the kids,
going to the lake.

But, food.
Oh, Annie LOVED food.
Dog food.
Cat food up on a counter.
An entire bag
of individually wrapped
chocolate candies,
including the wrappers
and part of the bag
before we caught her.
Half a watermelon,
including the rind.
Any
food.

Annie stayed for months.
Then one summer day
Annie took off again.
The vet said, “Maybe, she was just a traveler.
Some dogs are.
Say for a while.
eat for a while.
and move on.”

We missed you,
Annie.