Retrieved

The sound familiar 

as it echoes through

the house.

The couch sighs

the way it did when 

she jumped off

to chase a squirrel 

in the yard

or follow me

when I walked away.

The memory recovered

the way she retrieved sticks

on autumn days.

Her wet nose,

red collar,

unbridled joy,

shaking the rain

as she swayed.

She faintly smelled like trees,

she wagged her tail

while words of poetry 

danced on the page.

Outside the window,

leaves are scattered,

the homeless cat can

no longer tell her tales

of the birds she hunts

and duck eggs left unattended

for moments at a time.

She daydreamed,

we daydreamed,

side by side.