on having to leave my dogs alone to come into work on my day off

i speed the whole way there
music bounces off the windows
but cannot find my ears
i park and the sky turns black 
and the wind rages 
and the trees shake 
and so do i 
until suddenly it doesn’t 
the orange kitten that lives 
under the trailer offers me
its pearl belly as if to say 
		        you are here 
		        and i am glad we 
		        did not have to brave 
		        the storm alone
i walk into the trees 
the horses that are grazing 
nod their shining heads to me in turn 
i return the gesture and sink 
further into green 
today the cicadas and the birds 
have agreed to sing together to the rhythm 
of the trees shaking their bright little hands 
and for a moment everything stops 
and so do i 
we take a collective breath 
the earth swells like a balloon 
and then releases
i think about the cages 
my dogs were left sleeping in 
i think about the cages 
i have locked around my own life
i close my eyes and listen 
to the Platte’s lazy stride
wonder maybe if this 
is what it’s like to be happy 
wonder maybe for a day
if my dogs can forgive me