MUSLIM WITH DOG

THREA ALMONTASER

bring home baby pitbull in a Nike shoebox,her mother left tied to a post in the Bronxafter the owner sold her kids. The puppy hops on hind legs when happy, pees in a pot of yucca,licks the hollow in my throat when sleepingon my chest. Muslims believe a dog’s saliva is nagasah, dirty impurity. Dread runs forwardas a dripping line of slobber slugged at their bodies.I don’t soap myself seven times after her tender kiss. I want to muzzle Muslims. I’ve seen themscrub hands raw when a pug sniffs it, weavethrough speeding cars just to bypass a poodle like it can spit hellfire. A dog won’t attackthe owner who abuses it. We learned helplessnessby shocking dogs. It goes: a terrier was charged with protecting a baby. The couple found itwith a mouthful of blood. The…

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The American Poetry Review (Digital) - 1 Issue, May/June 2020

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