When observing a turtle

in a single glass tank

The men can poke and they can prod

All they want.

However turtle refuses to go

any faster than he does

For it isn't as if

there is anywhere

he can go.

The turtle is fed

the most nutritious,

high grade,

food sticks

Engineered to contain as much as possible

But he has nowhere to go

And so he swims ever so

slowly...

As his habitat grows

New additions are made

A larger sunning rock

An expanse of sandy beach

Duckweeds and snails.

It is as if he owns his own turtle paradise

Enclosed in glass.

Turtle does not wish to go

Faster than he does,

He sees there is an ending

To which he feels no rush to arrive.

Turtle has no interest in

Obeying orders of men who stare

Who watch from behind walls

Instead he waits

Until finally

The men give up

"this turtle will never go any faster"

And with that they remove him from the glass

Dumping him back to the lake

Where his existence in this world began

With that they're off

The men hurry on

"but of course, there is so much we must do!"

Turtle, his head

Slowly emerging from his shell

In which he had shrunk back

During the journey

He peers out to see

Sky.

Lake.

Trees.

Life.

At last he is here

where there is no one watching.

Only then does he feel the need

To run till the end.