The saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover” can be very useful in situations where it’s least expected, even when it involves people you’ve lived with. “The Guy Next Door” is a short poem inspired by Edwards’ dog: friendly to all but one neighbor. In every encounter they have, she constantly barks at him and he fears her despite her small size. Edwards got the idea for the poem when she returned from school one day to find her dog barking at her neighbor. I’m more of a cat person, but when a friendly pet starts acting defensive towards someone specifically, then there might be a chance something might be up with that person. What Edwards wants the audience to learn from her poem is how “everyone is not who they always appear to be; there could be something sinister that lies deep within all of us that is hidden.”
