How did it happen to us?
By Marge Piercy
Cats accept our clothing as our fur.
When we’re naked, they are wary.
They don’t want to sit on us.
We’re so singular in our body
baldness, no wonder they stare.
Us and mole rats, maybe also
chihuahuas are bald anomalies.
Fur is so often beautiful, I guess
it wasn’t sexual choice. Less
cover means less grooming
but more visible flaws. Long
fur would hide sags, bulges.
Scientists say fur homes bugs,
ticks, chiggers, fleas, but we
still suffer them, though bald.
Sometimes I’m also sorry to lack
a tail. They express emotions so
well, less ambiguous than words.
Copyright © 2020 by Marge Piercy.