the poem

the poem is about
what it's about
and something else
the ache is about
something else
you are it too much
or not enough
the game impossible
or impossibly dull
you are the shadow
a dog makes
when a man
raises his hand
the poem
bears witness
against a man
who would
raise his hand
to a dog
stand back
beware of poem
someday soon it will stop backing into the corner
of the sofa stop wedging itself into the smallest
space and it will bite you and bite you