"The Beast"

I wrote this while on vacation in Germany. I don't speak German. Don't make too much out of this; I had a great time on my trip, but being unable to speak German was incredibly frustrating, and sometimes even depressing. I wouldn't call this poetry, because I've never been any good at poetry. I don't know what I'd call it.

"The Beast"

April 2010- Aaron Matthew Smith

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A human speaks
a dog barks into the silence

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A human hears
a dog recognizes noise

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a human directs
a dog is lead by the leash

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a human understands
a dog is ignorant

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here, I am a dog, or less
a dog is bread for a purpose
to fulfill a need
I am but an object

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a dog will find comfort
in its own kind
I have no kind
none would claim my kinship

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I am no dog
I am a tethered beast
ashamed to be what I am
but unable to be anything else

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Needless to say, I felt a lot better after I got that out. It was still a wonderful trip, and I would love to someday go back. But being utterly unable to communicate was more frustrating than I can accurately describe with language.