Killer Jaguar

Jaguar Sculpture by Ted Hughes

Killer Jaguar
__________________

“Hurrying through
the underworld”
—Ted Hughes,
“Second Glance
at a Jaguar,” Wodwo

Skinning it back—
Ted isn’t bashful
His hip going in &
Out of joint

Dropping his—
Spine with the
Urgency of a
Tomcat in heat

Back-alley poet—
Glancing sideways
Undercover behind
The garbage cans
__________________

An Aztec—
Disemboweller
Sockets tense
Between his hips

The women—
Soon got to know
His stump-legged
Terrible waddle

His sharp incisors—
Biting their raw
Earlobes into new
Earrings of pain
_________________

He smirks—
Swiveling on the
Ball of his heel
As he leaves them

An engorged look—
Mouth hanging open
Graceful gangster
Groin of a killer

The weight of his—
Fangs so heavy he
Can barely raise his
Head up off the floor
_____________________

Shoving himself—
Forward after the
Kill with her still
Lying in bed

He mutters—
Monster mantras
To himself hating
The moon above

Mark of Cain—
Branded, tattooed
Driven by Prick’s
Prayer-wheel