Sentinels

 

At least four dogs,

Smallish but lion-hearted,

Are barking at us from the riverbank 

As if to say, “You can’t fool us

With brightly-colored boats

And strange equipment;

 

We know intruders when we see them, and

If you persist much longer in this place,

We’ll bark you into oblivion 

And let your masterless boats bob on.”