Fetch by Ben Banyard

At top of the path to the beach

I show him the tennis ball.

He crashes off a little way,

jerks to a rigid stop, alert, envisages

its flight ahead of him

as it bounces down the steps to shingle.

I launch it as far as I can

and he darts away, wolfing the metres

between him and his quarry.

He pounces on it, already panting.

I call to him, clap my hands,

half believing it might work this time.

After a thoughtful chew

he clutches it in his jaws,

trots off to where the waves lap,

barks muffled by the ball.

He drops it in the sea,

bobs it like a Halloween apple,

enjoys the taste of salt

before the tide catches it,

draws it away, back, then further,

beyond the limit of his courage.

---

Ben Banyard's third collection of poetry, Hi-Viz, was published by Yaffle Press in November 2021. He edits Black Nore Review and blogs at https://benbanyard.wordpress.com.

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