(And most free people don't realize the power of poetry, so most owners would even indulge him by letting him listen to poetry recitals, because what harm could it do, it's just poetry.)

and he's a HUGE fan of some poets, especially Jeanann Verlee. (see "The Lamb", below, as an example.)

"I.
she used gardening shears to open her last lover’s chest
green smudges staining the rungs of each rib

started at his abdomen, face-first
tearing at the new meat, yank, chew, pull
a frightening scene, those long cords of intestine snaking
into her mouth, tendons swinging from her jowls
there weren’t napkins enough for the spill

she slept for three days
woke craving a strawberry milkshake


II.
on her way back from the creamery, she passed a farmhouse
the fenced yard sprawling with playful spring lambs

she snatched one for her purse
he was soft as clouds, wriggling and bleating
she couldn’t wait to get him home and tie ribbons in his wooly hair

he wobbled into the kitchen curious as a suitor
moved his sad moon eyes up into hers
folded his ears backward, whispered
anything for you


III.
it was three more lambs before she was done
there was a mighty, steaming mess in the compost heap
flies, rats, and stray dogs circling

she busied herself in the parlor with scissors and thread
cutting and measuring, gutting and sewing, working tirelessly

days later, finally completed
she slipped into the new suit, stitched the hood
right onto her own cheeks
grinned

the boys will never recognize me like this"