COME AWAY WITH SOMETHING GOOD
FROM THE PETSHOP—
MEALY—SNAKEY
EGGS—SPIDER’S EYES
WOOD CHIPS, CEDAR,
BAGS OF PELLET,
MILLET, WATER BOTTLES
WITH STEEL BALL BEARING
AND RUBBER O-RING
FOR UPSIDE DOWN
SIPS OF WATER FOR CUTE RODENTS.
GUINEA PIGS
GERBILS, FISH, BIRDS.
SCARDEY SCARED LITTLE
ANIMALS IN THE STORE.
FLUORESCENT LIGHTS AND
CEILING TILE SUCH
THAT MAKE ME WANT
TO WEEP AND CRY AT PET SHOP.
IT MAKES ME WANT TO PULL OUT MY
WALLET AND START BUYING SUPPLIES,
CHAINS, BIG WOODEN
SCULPTURES / TREES
FOR PARROTS AND
CATS TO CLIMB AROUND ON
CARPETING—ON THE WOOD ETC.
MEALS IN BAGS,
BELLS AND BLUE AND
GREEN ROCKS IN
BAGS, FILTERS AND
PUMPS — ETC.
“DON’T GET THIS POET STARTED
ON THE FISH SECTION”
DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE
BIRD SECTION.
IT’S ALMOST TOO GOOD
TO BE TRUE.
WHAT PETS—
WHAT LITTLE EYES
WHAT NERVOUS LITTLE STEPS
AND TWITCHES,
EYES DARTING AROUND.
SO CUTE, SO COLORFUL,
TAKING LITTLE POOPS
AROUND — SPRINKLED
DOWN AMONG THE PEBBLES
AND ONTO THE NEWS
PAPER — BIRDS AND FISH,
NIBBLING—
WHO DOESN’T WANT A
BUNCH OF THESE LITTLE
SOULS?
500-1000 DOLLARS
COULD BUY A WHOLE BUNCH
OF THESE LITTLE GUYS
WALK OUT THE DOOR WITH
CARDBOARD BOXES FULL
OF COLORFUL LITTLE
PARAKEETS AND COCKATIELS
MAYBE A COCKATOO OR PARROT
FOR THE LARGER SIZE RANGE.
SOME RODENTS TOO.
THIS SOUNDS DEPRESSING DOESN’T IT.
IT’S TOO LATE
I NOW HAVE MANY BAGS OF FISH—
SUPER COLOR.
MANY GALLONS WORTH OF WATER IN BAGS
WITH LITTLE SWIMMERS
ALL TIED UP AND IN.
WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY
WANT TO DO NOW?
DO THEY WANT TO BE WITH ME?
WHO ARE THEY?
DO THEY WANT TO COME INSIDE MY HOUSE?
OR DO THEY WISH THEY COULD SWIM AWAY?
SAME FOR THE BIRDS
WHO ARE IN THE BOXES
STACKED IN THE HATCH BACK
WITH THEIR WINGS CLIPPED.
AS THE CAR ROCKS
AND BOUNCES OVER
POTHOLES AND SPEED BUMPS IN THE PARKING LOT
ACCELERATING ON THE STREET.
THE EMPLOYEES AT
THE SHOP
WERE VERY FRIENDLY AND LAUGHED
AND MADE SMALL JOKES WITH ME.
IT WAS A GOOD SALE FOR THEM
AND I FEEL LIKE
I GOT A REALLY GOOD DEAL.
AFTER DECIDING TO BUY 40 PARAKEETS,
THE MANAGER SAID I COULD HAVE 15% OFF
THE BIG EXOTIC PARROT AND
20% OFF THE COCKATIELS I BOUGHT—
MORE FISH THAN THEY COULD BELIEVE,
MORE THAN THEY HAD EVER SEEN SOLD
THEY THREW IN A COLLECTION OF
DIFFERENT LIZARDS AND A FERRET TO SWEETEN THE DEAL
AS I HAGGLED OVER THE PRICE OF THE
EXOTIC FRESHWATER BASS.
I WOUND UP NOT BUYING THE BASS
BECAUSE I CHOSE NOT TO.
I DIDN’T REALLY WANT IT.
BUT I TOOK THE FERRET,
THE MANAGER LAUGHED AND SAID OKAY.
I ALSO BOUGHT A CASE OF LIVE CRICKETS,
A LITTLE SNAKE, AND TWO TARANTULA SPECIES OF SPIDERS
THAT I PLANNED TO SET FREE
ALL WERE LOCKED UP—
IN CAGES, BOXES AND BAGS.
IT HAD BEEN RAINY BEFORE THE STORE
BUT NOW THE CLOUDS PARTED
AND THE SUN SHONE THROUGH
THE WINDOWS OF THE CAR
IT SMELLED LIKE RAIN ON THE STREETS.
I SAW A RAINBOW
I DROVE HOME.