Beetle on a bathroom window
Pin-striped beetle with a polka-dotted head
one of your antennae is curled.
Now, untenable antennae
make your computations many.
You go ‘round and ‘round and ‘round
in your world.
In a word, concentric circles are confining.
There’s no nourishment upon the central shelf.
You’re alive—but are you well,
as your curled antennae tell?
You are destined to implode
your little self.
Pin-striped beetle, won’t you straighten your antennae?
Help yourself!
Unfurl yourself!
I know you can.
If I tried to help
no doubt
both antennae would
fall out.
you’re just too you
to be mechanic-ed
by a man.