Written like a short play script, this poem shows a family picnic at the beach interrupted by a dog who has rolled in something dead. The twist is that the "Goddess" is the dog, though the poem only makes this clear at the end, when the youngest child calls out "Come on, Butterscotch!" and the Goddess exits, barking. Until then, her lines are pure grandeur: she announces a "new perfume" and demands that everyone bow to her radiance. The family, meanwhile, hears only a stink and reacts with disgust.
The humor comes from the gap between what the dog thinks is happening and what is really happening. She believes the family's retreat means they are "subdued before my majesty." In truth, they are just packing up to escape the smell. The stage directions and quick, bickering dialogue keep the tone light and comic. There is also a gentle note of affection, since the youngest clearly doesn't want to leave her behind, and the family does, in the end, take her home.