Dog Spelled Backwards is God

by Molly Gorelick

Junkyard dog, beautiful boy.
Not one snaggletooth,
just a parade of whitewhite fangs.
Chase me like I’m your own tail,
make me sweat so I can feel it.
I wanna bleed on the soft ground,
make me bleed so I can feeeeeel it.

Let me wear your spiked collar.
I want to drink from your bowl.
Long and slow, I like things to be
long and slow. Down in the junkyard
where I wag my tail and lick my lips.
I pant while you howl. Bleed me
with your tooth parade.
You can scare the neighborhood,
but you don’t scare me.

University & College Poetry Prizes Page