by (c 1998) Pauline Dubkin Yearwood
"I work at the pound," she says
she doesn't get more specific
it's true she does other things
but mostly she's the one who holds them
when they get the needle
so many over the years
she hardly thinks about it anymore
sometimes the young ones struggle
she doesn't look in their eyes
the ones that were someone's pet go quietly
happy to be held
sometimes the cats even purr.
So many over the years
once a purebred Cocker
like Rusty at home
that really got to her
usually they don't
after all what
would they do with them all?
if she doesn't look in their eyes
she's OK
it's just a job
somebody has to do it.
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