The Snore

The deep, slow snore
creeks and sputters
out of those flaring, glistening black nostrils
carrying with it
the weary longing
and sweet, oaky satisfaction
that has been fermenting in the chests of dogs
for thousands
of years,
unchanged since the first days of their friendship with man
when night would fall
and leave no trace of light in the valley
save the last embers of a few cooking fires
and the eyes that would spring open
at the snap of the smallest twig.