A Dream
July 5, 2023Venevil
July 5, 2023Slave Sonnet #7
I’m an instrument. I’m a clarinet.
Maestro, I’m an oboe if you say so.
An animal if music’s not enough.
Dog on command, shepherd or Chihuahua.
Eat when the dinner bells chime: Ms. Pavlov,
these experiments you’ve unleashed on me
hurt and strip me of everything human;
even dogs live better lives than I do.
Confession: truth is my life’s a picnic.
Here I am, the ant you’re about to squash.
“Ow!”–Make that “Ooo.”–My lips the letter “O.”
I’m a zero; nothing lower than I.
Confine me or crush me–but like magic
each reduction makes me all the more huge.
Bob Flanagan
Bob Flanagan (1952-1996) was an American poet, performance artist, and writer. He is known for his extreme and often controversial performances, which often dealt with themes of pain, mortality, and sexuality. Flanagan suffered from cystic fibrosis from a young age, and his experiences with chronic illness informed much of his work. Some of his notable works include the poetry collections "The Torture Garden" and "Crown Prince of Pain," as well as the memoir "The Family Man."