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Henry the hexapus

Henry, I am with you

in that tank: most

of what I ought to be

and all of what I am.

Henry, we are lesser,

honorary vertebrates,

ordinary sorts

of errors.

Henry, being interesting

is not a selling point

you choose, but love

sees a difference

like the riddle

of an answered prayer.

We poor suckers, Henry,

twice as many arms as hearts.

NOTES: Henry was found in a lobster pot near Wales, born with only six arms. Octopuses are "honorary vertebrates" under British law, for purposes of protection from animal cruelty. "An ordinary sort of error" is how biologist PZ Myers described Henry's circumstance. Animals of order Octopoda have three hearts.