Decatur, Four Inches From the Ground

By Diane Dexter

Crumpled lottery tickets, candy bar wrappers lay by the curb 

discarded like dreams, next to legions of birds

Flowers, soft blades of grass, treasured bits of food

crumbs from Pita Pit, - it's all equally good

More than cement, the sidewalks are layered

with the smells of all who walked through downtown Decatur

Emma has her own perspective of our hometown

with her little face four inches from the ground

Bestowing wags, allowing caresses of her golden fur

I wish I could see the city the same way as her

Dexter is a journalist who lives in Winnona Park and spends a lot time getting walked by Emma, her dog, through Decatur.