Evolution of the Species

After the infant’s birth,
the pugs became animals.
Once cute tails now exposed
pink and brown anuses.
They grew slimy snouts
and swamp odours. Their hair
shed and barbed the cotton
knees of the crawling infant’s
sleeper, beds designated
biohazards and thrown away.
They were kicked off rugs,
issued collars that sprayed
when they barked, ID tags
(scratching hazards to the
infant) removed. They watched
hours of daytime television,
subscribed to O, found their inner
wolves. Snapped up scraps
of high chair discards: avocados,
chocolate. Needed toxins—
charcoal, flea and heart
worm pills, vaccinations—
to survive. Their devotion grew
monstrous, two lumpy gargoyles
posted outside rooms in which
they were no longer allowed.
They got in trouble for walking
down parquet halls, neglected
claws clattering and waking
the infant. They got in
trouble for being protective.
They got in trouble for giving
kisses open-mouthed.