The Mammal

The mammal
Regarded her simply,
Wagged its tongue,
Sharpened its teeth
On stony words
And pressed upon her
With no remorse

I listened idly
With my legs crossed
Like a modern
Homosexual,
Like beta

Tears balked
At her tarsal glands,
Fumbled like shaky hands
on a greased knob

The mammal mocked her,
Smiled a thin smile,
And called her tears
Water

I entered the mammal
From the rear
And forced fingers
Into its eyes
Until they gave way
Like the skin
Of grapes

I looked at her then,
With its eyes
I Witnessed frailty
And used the mammal’s mouth
To say “I’m sorry”
Forming the words
With a pinch
Of the lips

Her skin flushed
And pricked
As I pressed a mammal’s hand
To her brow
And slid it to her neck

I withdrew
From the creature
And sat back down
Exhausted
With a clean conscience