An Ode to Whitey

Do you know they’ve started calling you

Whitey-bitey these days? Does it seem like there is

An invisible collar around your neck now

With those words inscribed across, in CAPITALS

And everyone can see it, but only you feel it

Tighten across your throat every time you jump

On a seat to sleep and the people hastily walk

Away or scare you with their fancy multi-purpose

Umbrellas; do you feel it glue onto your skin

Because nobody notices how calm you’ve been

Since that incident 3 weeks ago, they still think

You’re that scary dog; do you find it hard to breathe

When everybody cuddles with pretty Coffee over

There and you try to remember what is was like

To be scratched beneath your ear; and at nights

Do you cry at how suffocated you feel because

You have this invisible collar tighten around your neck

And do you sometimes get angry and show your

Teeth and raise your paws to get rid of it

And do people look at you and say-

Stay away from Whitey-bitey,

Seems like he’s gonna bite someone again.