45. Three Lives

 

the people say | they never see that happening

anymore | it’s like the world changed

when we were sleeping | people say that

they talk like that | they talk

that’s what people say | people are like that

you see them | sometimes | talking and

it is easy to tell | they don’t know what

they’re talking about | you don’t even

have to hear them | it is the way they move

as they talk | you know it every time

take that guy | for instance | barrel chest

a voice a little high | for some reason

seems fine but | when he starts talking

his face goes red | and he clenches his hands

his elbows go white | you know what he’s

saying is wrong | probably in two ways

first just no control of the facts | second

you know he’s hoping to do someone harm

it’s that way with everyone | they always

show their cards | even if they have none

 

dogs are different | just different

to start they don’t talk | (worst thing

a dog does is bark | the equivalent

of talking | it gives them a human

fault) | most don’t bark much | sure

the small ones do | but are you truly

positive those | are real dogs?

you can think about that for a while

the thing about | dogs is that they

have no inclination to work | at all

sure | they’ll chase a squirrel | but

that’s just playing | it has no purpose

dogs don’t have jobs | and they’d be

bad at them if they did | dogs are

nappers | and eaters | and that’s

about it | they show us what to do

by their example | we’re supposed

to learn to | rest and eat and rest

that is a dog’s life | with a little

barking | they tell us | to relax

 

cats excel at | exceling dogs

dogs snooze | but cats lounge

dogs gulp their food | while

cats experience it | cats

you see | are about high

expectations | relaxing

lunching | staying indoors

for all their bodily functions

a cat has | no opinion of us

cats don’t care | they’ll be

happy to see us | if dinner

is near | but they don’t

need to stick around | unless

we plan to drown them

with affection | cats show

us not to care | about the

thoughts of others | only

to pamper the self | the cat

knows | the only self is her

and she allows us to know it