Balm

Two days after the Independent

Published my complaint about barking dogs,

The barking in my neighborhood skidded to a halt.

To be sure, not completely. Once a day, or every other day,

There would be a bark or two.

But they sounded a new note, now brief and apologetic:

Sorry, neighbor, but I’ve just got to get this off my chest.

Could it be just a change in the weather?

It was colder; perhaps windows were closing out the noise.

But, no, with warm weather, still the same: the barking chaos was over.

Thank you, my neighbors, and thank you, Independent.

What should I try next? The Independent taking over the News-Press?

The government taking over banks?

Or going whole hog: world peace?

There is a balm in Gilead that makes the spirit whole.