The Old Professor - July 21, 2025

she may be half deaf and

three-quarters blind, but

Gracie’s nose is still a well-oiled,

finely tuned instrument

I watch her bore in, like a microscope,

pawing and sniffing molecules of interest

in grass to see if the scent

is worthy of further focus

if it seems like a new discovery

she leaves a liquid genetic mark

which the next pooch will examine

and layer with their own essence

so you see - a dog's nose is used

for more than butt-sniffing and

includes archeology, whiff-dating

and the wisdom of old professors