Like A Dog

I have learned
In the small time I have had
With this gangly
Dangling
Enthusiastic
Greedy
Awkward
Flailing
Noisy
Four-legged
Creature I call a name
That a dog exists at all times in a state
Best summarised as ‘Optimistic.’
He sees every time I change my shoes as a chance
(For a walk, you see)
And every time I prepare some food as a chance
(For a treat, you see)
And every time he is told to do a thing
And he does it quickly
That is a chance
(For a reward, you see).

He rarely gets these things.

It is known to me that not every dog is like this
But it seems so simple
And so effortless
I fear that it may be that every dog is like this
And those dogs I see
That do not look up when you move
That do not check for treats
That do wobble with enthusiasm for what good may happen

Have been trained to not hope

I fear sometimes what I learned
That a dog was lucky enough not to