what power, their legs
as they push through the dirt of grassy hills
corralling their victims—no, their friends,
back to the homes they belong
hidden away from predators
once, these dogs were the predator
sinking teeth deep into supple flesh
those they now call friend
call neighbor
call a friendly stranger
a herding dog, a masterpiece
of something dangerous turned
sworn into knighthood
with sticky blood down
their mouth, their neck
of swords crossed
against bear
against fox
against Wolf
again and again and again and again and again and again and again
they fight to right the wrongs of their ancestors, their culture
how dedicated they are to be something they never were
what they grew to become
i hope in this day, this year
where the world around me falls and crumbles
more men and women will realize
the power in a herding dog
i hope they too can become knights
take sword to the throat
risk their strings and their blood
for a cause their ancestry once craved to destroy