Give me dog, dogs, wolves, to serve, praise, kneel

in thanks. Bring me torn by sin, stuffed with loot,

bring me in their wild midst, in the spiked ring

of white teeth, sharp fangs, wet mouths, cast me hard

and down. I am not food, the calf, the ewe,

I am the man to be sent to love, but

clawed first, cleansed first, taught to fight, to lose, save

my skin, my stained skin, my own old soft shell

1961