You were the quiet one, chin on your paws Head tilted sideways by the open door I knelt down slow and you didn't move Just pressed your nose to me like a word I'd never heard before No name, no leash, no plan at all You leaned your whole self into where I knelt And I knew before the paperwork Before I'd even named the thing I felt You knew sit I knew you Before the walks, before the years went by You knew stay, I knew safe Was the sound of paws across the floor at night Allie, I came looking for a dog But what I found was something like the ground You knew sit I knew you Knew it from the first time you sat down Your tag against the bowl, five every morning Mud tracked through the hallway to the door You'd hear my car a block before I turned And meet me like you'd waited out a war On bad days you just pressed in close No fix, just all your warmth and weight Head on my lap, the whole room still-- You had one answer and it always came You knew sit I knew you Before the walks, before the years went by You knew stay, I knew safe Was the sound of paws across the floor at night Allie, I came looking for a dog But what I found was something like the ground You knew sit I knew you Knew it from the first time you sat down Gray around your face now The stairs take longer than they did But you still lean the way you leaned That first day, half a life ago If I could build it all from scratch-- Every mess, every walk, every 3 a.m.-- I'd start right here where you are sitting I'd pick you every time again You knew sit I knew you Through the years, through the rain, through the worn-out shoes You knew stay, I knew home Was whatever room you wandered into Allie, every ordinary day Was the whole point, start to end You knew sit I knew you And I would know you all over again Chin on your paws The way you do You knew sit Allie, I knew you