Animal Crackers

It's like when you're visiting friends who have animals,

they just assume you are comfortable with unusual birds

flapping by year earlobes and a piglet in the hallway.

A lamb and its tortoise friend are cuddling your rear tyre.

'They are inseperable,' your friend explains, pipetting

a turtle in the sink while the little dogs are watching cartoons

with the big dogs and ducklings in a paddling pool

make big plans for the new year. Imagine coming home

to a house like that, imagine knowing exactly what to do

to make an axalotyl happy.