a found poem
by Beth Winegarner
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| Nearly two weeks after a brutal dog attack in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood, Amber King said she is still coping with the physical and emotional trauma of the incident while beginning a long recovery process… King recalled yelling for help as a pit bull pinned her down and attacked her for 10 to 15 minutes before police arrived. —KGO, September 22, 2026 |
Once it tasted blood
it may have been difficult to handle.
When raised in loving and stable homes,
they can be incredibly gentle, affectionate,
and loyal companions.
Being laser-focused on the target
until it is dead or they are dead
is literally what they were bred for.
Luckily, they are very responsive to training
and eager to please.
Mauling is hardwired
in their DNA.
I have one. He’s big, neutered as well.
I didn’t train him to be vicious,
and he mostly stays at home
with my elderly mom.
They get along well.
Grew up with “friendly” ones.
They are absolute powder kegs.
The worst thing to do
is run away or scream in panic.
This only triggers the prey drive.
Avoid them all the time
is the only way you can be sure
you're not going to get attacked.
Sterilize all of them.
I have met so many
friendly ones in my time.
They didn't seem aggressive
until it was too late.
Author’s note: The poem was found from online comments regarding dogs attacking humans and in forums about pit bulls. It was written in light of the news of the "Cornell 7" and of dog attacks like that recently in San Francisco.
Beth Winegarner is an award-winning journalist, author, essayist and pop culture critic who’s contributed to the New York Times, the New Yorker, The Guardian, The Washington Post, and many others. She is the author of several books, most recently San Francisco’s Forgotten Cemeteries: A Buried History. She is the co-host of the Dead Reckoning podcast with Courtney Minick of Here Lies a Story, and the creator of the San Francisco Magdalen Asylum names project.
