Lupine Bitch by Sean Jacques

{The social hierarchy within a wolf pack is what maintains order,

dictates who makes decisions, who eats first and who eats last.

It is also common for the alpha pair to be the only pair to mate.}

 

Look at you. Alpha dog. More like

Alpha dog gone Omega. The only

intimate affair we seem to share

anymore is howling. Any other

act we do together comes as rare

as a blue moon.

 

Look at you. Gnawing on a bone

from that fat calf I buffaloed – alone!

Before you and the rest of these slow-foot

mongrels in our gang showed up 

to wolf it down with snapping jowls. 

 

Once upon a time you were an Alpha.

Plus some, the day you first licked

your chops at me. Charmed and famed

you were for hushing that crying, crying,

crying boy, and filching monstrous feasts

from those sheepish villagers.

 

Now look at you. Playing the rest

of this murderous mob of ours

into believing you’re not a fool—

but I’m not tricked by you.

 

Yes, you huffed and puffed your boasts

to that triplet of little piggies. Yes

you haymakered the first, and yes

you stuck it to the second.

But that third little porker sure did land

a brick on your dim wit, didn’t he?  

 

Yes, that old granny tasted good in bed,

and yes her gown fit fine over your fur.

But her grand girl in the red hood

sure made you ride your red shame

right out the door, didn’t she? 

Look at you. Lowdown dog.

I should pack off and go,

howl lonesome,

for there is only one

truth in our den of thieves:

 

I’m the big bad bitch of this bunch.  

Sean Jacques is a fifth-generation native of the Missouri Ozarks. His wayward career includes bartender, bank teller, stone sculptor, public relations director, creative executive for the Weinstein Company film studio, and scriptwriting in various ‘development hell’ ventures in the movie business. Currently, he teaches English Literature in Los Angeles while continuing to write new tales; his most recent work can be found at Across the Margin, Dead Fern Press, Cowboy Jamboree, and will soon be appearing in 34 Orchard.

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