I wrote this poem after attending a previous Syracuse Poster Project ceremony.

“A haiku,” I thought, “five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables. Hhhhmmm. That's my birthday (5/12). Maybe that's the universe's sign that I should try my hand at writing one.”

That very night / early next morning, or soon thereafter, I stole from my house with my dog, as was our custom then, and in the distance, another dog broke the supreme silence and spoke softly to us.