night dogs

night dogs bark their percussion sounds
when the moon is full,
when the moon is dark,
when brown-edged clouds curl
around the milky orb,
when the sun begins
and when it ends,
when the trash man commeth,
when sirens blow.

they compete with motorcycles,
coughing and farting down the road,
with trucks, with brushing leaves,
with animals in undergrowth
moving mysteriously,
and crackling twigs.

some places have urban vermin
scurrying and squeaking
here it's night dogs clanging
at the still doors of darkness.