tear gas
the creature
that was to carry
in its belly
the lord’s
second
son
could’ve been
the horse
our mother
steered
into a crowd. the creature
that was to kill itself
in our father’s
sleep
could’ve been the giraffe
we knew
as crucifixion.
the creature that was to groom
for our
viewing
pleasure
a stone
could’ve been
the ape
that buried
our dog
in television. the creature
that was
to embody
complete
thought
could’ve been the snake
we bathed
in a bug spray
that would hypnotize
birds.

hello. yes.