Stumbled-Upon Water

My dog likes stumbled-upon water
        Better than water
                in a bowl.
Mud-puddle flavor is perfect,
        A sort of mocha -
                in a hole.

When rain is pelting Autumn
        And leaves are floating
                A-sea,
My dog reckons the planet
        Is filling the kettle
                For tea.

She runs along the fieldside
        - Stopping now
                For an itch -
Then sips with satisfaction
        Vintage wine
                from a ditch.

And when I try to stop her,
        She keeps one eye
                A-lee,
And drinks till the very last second,
        Then runs away --
                From me.

You were stumbled-upon water
        A soggy field
                Ago -
A bright winesap apple,
        A Frog’s leap
                In the snow -

You were the smoothest skipping-rock,
        Skimming across
                A stream,
Landing on the other bank,
        Lodging in
                My dream.

So where in the world are you?
        The world was yours
                To own -
If torn from a discordant lover -
        Older, shyer,
                Windblown.

But now my dog comes running,
        Flushed with the doings
                Of wrong -
And thinking of stumbled-upon water
        - Both of us - move
                Along.