Replicated from nature,
Moneybackguaranteed
to make a woman
quiver with desire,
the pheromones arrived
in a plain brown wrapper,
LoveScents stamped as sender.

When he showed up at Jen’s door,
she took one whiff
and became a lioness in heat,
stubbing out her cigarette
and dragging her prey to bed.

At their passion’s height,
her yappy dog, she too
tantalized by the scent of love,
caught his leg and wouldn’t let go.
Awakened by the barking,
Jen’s roommate staggered in,
turned on the light and stared.
He hid his shame beneath a pillow.
Only the dog was unembarrassed.
Coffee, anyone, asked Jen,
heading for the kitchen.

You smell really nice,
the roommate said,
leaning closer and licking his neck
like an actress auditioning for
her first vampire film.
The dog bared its fangs
and growled.

(originally published in z-composition and in a different version in My Word Wizard)