Mercy

I cut its head off with a kitchen knife
while you were out.

It didn’t fight. Its spine went with a crack.
There was more blood

than I’d have thought. Before you ask, I don’t
know how I could.

It’s just, this is what we do. It was quick.
It was past help.

Fifteen years is a long time, isn’t it?
I bagged it up

and took it to the outside bin – I was
very sad, yes –

and washed and dried its bowl, the chopping board
by hand and went

into the living room to face our son,
explain myself.