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