Falling In Love is Like Owning a Dog

by Taylor Mali

On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love can wake you up all hours of the night with its needs.
Love can give you a sense of security:
When you're walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love,
no one is going to mess with you.
Love needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy-
Love does not like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
Love may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life
but you can never be mad at love for long.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love makes messes.
Sometimes you just went to get love fixed-
Sometimes you went to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
But then love gives you big kisses,
And you laugh at the little things.
Sometimes love just wants to play.
Running you around the block, leaving you panting.

It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you,
until you're all wound up and can't move.
And love brings you together.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk and greet sash other on the street
Most importantly, love needs love, and lots of it.
And in retum, love loves you and loves you and never stops.