I gaze through these holes made of plastic
I am silenced; there is no slit to speak past
My voice is absorbed; my tongue is a sponge
There is no breathing room
I am suffocating in HERE.

Yet…when I peel back my guard
Sweat raining from my efforts to keep it intact
I am a DOG,
Panting,
Unintelligible,
Reprimanded.
Leashed. To. A. Post.

And I strain, the metal smearing red onto my flesh
And I yearn to break FREE.
But a muzzle is put back into place now
And I am smiling and laughing.

I get a treat when I pretend.