Mama sat outside and watched,
not saying a word, as
her dogs fought over a toy bone.

She saw Rover snarl and
Tiny retreat, then watched
Rover and bone disappear.

Mama patiently waited
for Rover to come back,
then threw him a ball to chase.

As if King of the mountain,
he ran for the ball,
unaware of the closing door.​

After a while, he became
bored with himself and
turned to find his old “friend.”

But as you might surmise,
Tiny wasn’t outside, but
within the comfortable house.

Through the patio door,
Rover could clearly see a
real bone in Tiny’s mouth.

Now, it seems clear to me that
   a bone to pick should be
   chosen most carefully.