questions

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He kept falling backward every time
He was about to reach the top 

Now they tell him that he has no free will 

That bacteria inside his gut have goals 

That don’t jibe with his

Or as the scientist says, “Microbial manipulations might fill in 

Some of the puzzling holes 

In our understandings about food cravings” 

In other words, 

For his microbiome he is just a delivery system that 

Brings them sugar 

For them his body is a bakery 

Is there no end to subservience?

—Ishmael Reed 

The Diabetic Dreams of Cake, excerpt

the paris review

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