(fragment)

 

Father they signed me up for research 

and as soon as the paperwork passed 

the Ethics Committee, they asked for

samples of tissue from my left eye. 

 

Sacrifice my vision in the name of science, 

check my womb for blackness but say black

only if you really mean it. Father, we all eat 

pasta with mud and no-one complains that

 

the earth lacks seasoning. Yes, please, I need

another portion of this, sleep-walk 

into the garden, repeat instructions

from qualified staff:  Take a deep breath!

                                    Take a deep breath!

 

                                                          Amen.

 

© Maria Stadnicka, October 2020

Full version published in International Times on 10 October 2020. Available at: http://internationaltimes.it/homologia/.