there’s rumors
going around the cages
how a white coat
changed the back
of one of our brothers
into an ear
& about the sister
whose gut filled
with yellow ooze
that the white coat exposed
with a knife in her belly
before throwing her
down a toilet
i keep searching
every corner of this
silver roach trap
for an escape
i dream of the rat god
exalted in rat heaven
to preserve our souls
i pray for courage
in the hearts of all
of us to believe
& be strong
our hearts are
bigger than life
& in heaven
there are no
cages