Almost A Killer Poem by Jan Oskar Hansen

Almost a killer

The window was open the puppy balancing
On the sill and fell it wasn't a long fall buy it screamed
I cradled in my arms till it stopped whimpering
Through me an enormous fear I could kill it if I wanted to
I held my hands around its throat its fur soft and silky
The puppy continued to sleep safely in my arms I was ten
And thought, no one should have that power, but it had surged
Through me, the compulsion to kill
My hands shook my body trembled violently today I could have
Become murderer. I told my brother he shook his head and asked
Why I had to make a drama out of everything
Later I worked on a farm and saw animals killed
But that was for a purpose feeding humanity and not for pleasure I know
Had I killed the puppy my life would have been an endless night.