His Victim's Dream of Revenge

Some frightening new food to be tried
      who best to take the risk of poison
      than a hapless trusting dog
thousands of years ago
      somebody wondering about tomatoes
      that freakish red color,
was it meant as a warning?

And so down through history
      canines forced to eat
      artichokes and lobster
until an evil king got bored
      there was blowfish to be sampled
      he said "forget the hound -- 
I'll risk my karmic return"

Mary Winters