It took years to decode the meaning of a dog’s bark,

Sex as the Controller** They heard us outside the bedroom window— Breathing, moaning, panting, grunting, and screaming In the stillness of the night, calling out the names of the Gods. Salty sweat dripped from our bodies Under the Caribbean heat waves, many moons ago— What a summer to remember! Yet there was confusion in the nightly crickets’ serenade, Who mistakenly thought their sounds were the loudest. They were trying to convey something to me with Their relentless barking: danger, danger, danger, danger, danger, danger. I had no idea what it meant. It took years to decode the meaning of a dog’s bark, But now, through poetry, I can express it in words. Their bark was a message meant for me, myself, and I. A quaint guest house near Ostin's, just five minutes from the ocean breeze. Back then, I believed I was truly in love— With love, or perhaps just a dream that turned into a misguided future When I neglected to love myself. The spirit of a lost lover yearned to control me. All encounters are about energy, and sound creates that energy. —Barbara Carrella And a dog’s bark can predict one’s fate. Too late, but now I understand...