I told the dog to settle in the hall

I told the dog to settle in the hall

and let the words just slip out, flat and small.

Last night I called my brother, and the sound

was heavier, like something in the ground.

The jaw clicks shut before the air can clear.

It’s a different weight for every soul I hear.

Sometimes it’s a promise, or a debt I owe,

sometimes it’s just the easiest way to go.