Her paws rest upon my chest in quiet patience,
her eyes already a-gleam with mischief,
her tail twitching like a cat's.

The moment I stir she bounds from the bed and dances,
laughing wildly at my morning cobwebs,
and she chases me through the house and to the door,
a madcap race.

The door I open for her happy body
and she bounds through the gap,
racing down the steps to pause and glance back.

She speaks to me once,
an invitation to join her in her frolick on the wet grass
and then she is gone in a dash,
exploring the secrets of the early morning garden.