Esperanza of Manila
You, who rescued a boy-afflicted cat
from perishing in the gutters, toweling
its oiled pelt clean. Who rushed
a hound to the spigots to wash away
toad venom from its shocked mouth.
Who saved a blot of Dalmatians
from the chafe of pet store chains
and named them after pharaohs’ glittering
cities. Who tended to a canary in egg-
binding agony, careful not to crush
its juddered breast. Who released
a pigeon from its jailing grate, geckos
from dosed rooms. O holy steward,
minister to all living beings, pray for us
now as we tend to your feral body.
by Christina Loyd
from the Echotheo Review