The dog follows at his heels.
He kicks her heel and she cowers.
Shes to close.
She steps back and pants, wagging her tail.
He continues.
She knows her place.
At dinner she doesn't beg.
The last time she did the dinner plate crashed upon her head.

She lays by the door.
Ears down, listening.
If someone comes, shell only growl.
If she barks.
Beer bottles will hit her feet.
-She knows her place.
If someone comes into the house;
Shell attack .
Defending the man who gives her life.
She knows no other way.
This is all she has.
-But shell take this happily.

His hand ; when drunk enough; will pat her head.
Finding that spot that'll make her tail wag.
Every rare moment. Hell toss her a rib bone.
Hell say "good girl"
And that's all it takes to send her heart a twirl.
She drop her tongue and embrace the moment.
-She knows her place.
-She knows this is home.

No matter the beating,
She stays.
Through starvation.
She doesn't move.
She is strong.
She thrives only off the little moments.
He can beat her all day;
Leave her motionless.
And she'd never think twice about moving away.
-She knows her place.

She doesn't know she'll soon die of malnutrition.
She doesn't know he cares nothing of her existence.
She hasn't realized hes only drunk when he loves on her.
But she doesn't care.
Tomorrow, next week, next year.
Shell be there.
-never leaving.
-never hesitating.
-tail still wagging.

then again, life isn't a fairy tale.