Familiar Teeth

There are moments
when our dogs,
bred loyal, dumb and different,
remember what it was
         to be wolf:
         to swallow the moon
         as clever regal one.

The motley pack then awakens,
passing the alarm
through house, yard and street,
horrible wholeness alight again
         in shining eyes,
         whining and scrabbling frantic
         for the fenceless, lonesome wild.

For these moments,
we masters and conquerors
remember being weak, hunted and afraid;
we frown and scold our pets
         with ancient fear,
         knowing innate with what tenuousness
         we temper the bold strength of predators.