His embrace may be construed as an act,

his handshake a shill, his smile on the edge

of aggression: a wolf marking his path

will flash his teeth and pat men on the back

to sniff the vapors of his rival’s breath.

His embrace may be construed as an act

of kindness to the novice eye, his tact

a slight of hand to mask the silhouette

of aggression. A wolf marking his path

will scan the party’s aftermath,

the room refracted in his green coupette.

His embrace may be construed as an act

of ownership, circumscribed by a trap

for a passing skirt, which is the secret

of aggression: a wolf marking his path

will circle every option (then fall back

to catalogue the pearls around a neck).

His embrace may be construed as an act

of aggression, a wolf marking his path.