Wash. Rinse. Dry. Fold.

There is nothing grandiose 
about a pile of laundry.

Just another basketful 
of simple human technology –

shields to thwart the sun,
to dull the sting of cold,

to attract our prey,
to find a mate

so to not swim
in the inky dark alone.

Not, like an octopus,
who has no need for technology,
whose skin has built-in machines
to serve its every need.
Skin so sensitive, so reactive,
so smart – so full of advantage.
And brains for every arm,
where ours have none at all.
We think too much already –
and with an extra eight,
we'd never fall asleep.

And the octopus
has three hearts. 
Are we less than them for that?
But having even one,
that day she left,
was truly bad enough.