We're all the same animal

Car horns and yelling at cars

the old man driving you don’t see

until your finger’s phallic at his window

only then do you apologize

until you do it again

and then apologize

Anger kept in glass jars on the console,

in alien handwriting (no eno nac dear).

Anger at people who eat your fat and flavor

from the table of nice bones.

The world’s a wolf pack

a man of wild hair

putting quarters

in a no parking parking meter.

Did he see himself in his morning mirror?

Combing bristled strands down

and wet to hid the burs,

shirt untucked like the beds

of retired businessmen.

Tuesday morning

The Christmas tree lit

he lingers in front of the head shop.

The pig-nose man limps

on his tendons

settles on a bench to strum a guitar,

shuns the wolf

sings to me

I say if you cut off my wrist

I’ll learn with the other

if you cut off the other

I’ll learn with my teeth

if you cut out my teeth –

then we’re all the same animal anyway