He Called Them Animals

Black dog
wiggles her feet in the air
snuggles her nose
against my naked arm
soft animal with kind brown eyes

Halloween hued butterflies
whirl and rise
animals whose beauty
enchants my eyes

His obscene mouth
calls humans animals
belittles both
provides permission
for the mean kick
permission to regard
person as pest

alien

other

black

brown

immigrant

woman

trans

Palestinian

Jew

me

you

Published in San Diego Poetry Annual 2018-19