specimen—
in a petri dish.

contained environment
for you to fake
nurture me.

only grow
if you let me.
kicking my legs,
flapping my wings—
endlessly trying
to leave
this agar.

my life in the jar
is attrition.
you force me
into submission.

anesthesia
freezes me.
nitrogen gas—
i’m breathing.

(make sure to turn on the fume hood,
unless you wanna get high with me.)

the sterile whiteness
feeds off me—
calls itself
nutrition.

bacteria,
fungus
inside—
but you’re the virus
in my iris.

like what you see
through the glass?
fogged.

under your microscope.
under your
scrutiny.

grant me reprieve—
i’d like to be excused.
please.

put me to sleep.
but you won’t.
you won’t
euthanize
me.