# The Black Dog Bites

Author: Dakaar
Tags: Poetry

Freeform poetry from the introspective collection, Black Dog, that runs with a folkloric figure that is often associated with misfortune and used as a metaphor for depression. Black Dog looks at this figure and gives him a voice, letting him bark back at a society that’s already made up its mind about him.

“I bite.”

 

Refrain of the cornered animal,&nbsp;

 

of the ones who see red and feel it turn

 

white hot.&nbsp;

 

I bark despite the fact that, actually,&nbsp;

 

it's much worse to be bitten,&nbsp;

 

as anyone twice shy will attest,

 

and it's only when I'm at my worst&nbsp;

 

that anyone seems to pay attention.

 

“I bite,&nbsp;

 

I bite,”

 

I bark, but you reach in regardless.

 

squeeze between the bars,

 

shove your hand in my mouth to take out my words

 

and complain when you feel teeth.

 

I've tasted blood before.&nbsp;

 

Each time the thing to scar&nbsp;

 

is the incredulity:&nbsp;

 

How could I? The quiet one,&nbsp;

 

the gentle one, first to fall

 

asleep before the fire and make

 

such silly, puppy dog noises

 

as I chase my dreams.

 

How dare I show&nbsp;

 

the sharpest part&nbsp;

 

of me.

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/qmy2MEan
Part of the series Black Dog
Next: https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2243803-the-black-dog-chases-foxes.md