Hollowed-out bones are more buoyant,
like the stray dog wagging its tail
while following us back to the car.
You asked if we could keep it;
I said that whatever gets buried
eventually climbs out of its hole,
and just because something can float
doesn’t mean it can swim.
So I’ll hold this snackpack close to my chest
as we head toward open water, especially
now that meals have been discontinued
on most long-distance flights,
but people still want to fly.