beef tips

by Eileen Murphy

i get a kick when i stick my hand

in my dog’s mouth

good practice to train the dog to be gentle

or so i tell my husband who looks at me like i’m loca–

with dripping left-over beef tips & gravy from Publix

on my fingertips–

& after his black Lab teeth barely nip me

clipping my skin

he licks me clean

with his greedy carpe diem tongue

* * * * *

A former Chicagolander, Eileen Murphy now lives 30 miles from Tampa. She received her Masters degree from Columbia College, Chicago. She teaches literature and English at Polk State College in Lakeland and has recently published poetry in Thirteen Myna Birds, Tinderbox (nominated for Pushcart Prize), Yes Poetry, The American Journal of Poetry, Rogue Agent, Deaf Poets Society, and other journals. Her website is mishmurphy.com.