Heart breaking

How can you compete with a beast of eight feet, three hearts and nine brains

A shapeshifter replete so fleet with jet propulsion in a cloud of ink stains

Suction cups for a hand, at home in water but can walk on land, an escape artist

Sealed bottle can escape with toes of tape, of all mollusks the smartest 

Tastes with its fingers, to invites seldom lingers, known to keep a pet

To a mate stays true all life through, not interested in anyone else met

When young are born from mother and father life is torn both die

Broken three hearts from mate's body never departs over her corpse he does lie

Author's Note

Have kept various octopus as pets for years and despite their short life spans they have been quite dear, each with its own personality. Some very playful inventing their own games, some quite friendly insisting on touch and shaking my hand each morning, copying behaviors. With them in my office I was able to observe them continuously eight to twelve hours a day five to six days a week. I had them give birth and watched them die, feeling more grief with their passing than many of the other household pets.

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

This one really enlightened me regarding octopi as pets. I'll bet you really got some attention when you took them for walks.

[Soren]

Thanks so much John for the read and comment. Actually I lost one on a walk once. Escape artists that they are the female hen pecked the husband to the point he couldn't take it anymore and escaped at night when I wasn't around to take a walk. I found his dried body the next day half way across the room on the floor. A sad case and I made sure the lids were well taped down after that