oyster

i do not want
to be the tiny
trifling speck of dirt
   trapped
within the jagged halves
of an oyster’s hell

imprisoned
in the hopes that
i would one day be
molded coated
cultivated
into a precious
pearl

that
even if i were less than
perfect
i still could only be bought
with
poor men’s lives
   and
rich men’s money

be not my world
an oyster
for i have no
sword