Peter

I want to share a poem I wrote about my host dog, Peter. There is no word sufficient to describe his pure and utter malicious, cold-hearted personality (my host dad repeatedly says he is ready for "lethal combat"). I didn't think my mere words could capture the essence of this soulless creature, so I wrote a poem. I apologize to all you out there who don't speak Spanish.

    

Poema: Peter

En mi vida, me gustan los perros,

Yo siempre teni'a ma's que cero.

Cuando yo supe mi familia teni'a uno,

Estaba emocionada para viajar en Junio!

Al principal crei'a que Peter era bello,

Despue's de una semana, supe que Peter era feo.

Peter estan tan malo como el diablo,

Creo que es el perro ma's enojado.

Por una semana, trate' de ser su amiga,

Para e'l, teni'a los dulces y estaba lista.

Aprendi' que Peter es mali'simo,

Ya no creo que sea belli'simo.

Por su seguridad, yo no quiero que vengan,

Insisto que sus vidas Uds. mantengan.

A Peter no le da pena,

Desear que Uds. sean su cena. 

There was initially some concern about the safety of Central America when I began my journey to live in Costa Rica. However, I have come to realize that Peter is the only true source of danger in my life. I can't help but to laugh at the irony that after years of volunteering at the Humane Society, SPCA, and raising multiple Guide Dogs for the Blind, there is a very real possibility my life will end because of a "dog." It is truly a disservice to dogs to call Peter a dog. The look of pure hatred and evil in his eyes is evidence that there is something supernatural going on in his tiny body. Can dogs become possessed? I know enough about dogs to know that he is not normal. Peter is like a bully in a schoolyard and the world is his victim. I fear for the amount of damage this creature can, and desperately wants to, cause-- starting with the life of the person who is closest to him when he inevitably breaks free of his chains.