Traumatized By The Trauma Of A Human I Don’t Know

I sit by the fire
I hear anger
and then the shrieking starts
the little white dog from across the street
with the floppy black and white ears
cries
cries
cries
yelps
I run from my backyard
I see her running around
then she runs into the house
immediately he starts sobbing
loudly
louder still
she has stopped crying
yet he continues
inside the house I hear him in different rooms crying
outside on the street
and I do not know whether to march over and demand he give me his dog — for he doesn’t deserve it
stupid drunk
or if she is keeping him sane
if she as a little soul
chose him
if she is keeping him alive
if she is fine
if he dropped something and didn’t kick her
even though my gut thinks he did
I just sit
frozen
listening to the crying
traumatized by the trauma of a human I don’t know
and a small dog
under the full California moon
feeling terrified and pathetic for all the animals and humans of this world who are abused by the pain that is not theirs
it’s enough to turn one mad.