To draw blood from a mouse,

first alcohol the tail. Get it wet

and bare—the liquid does this,

plasters hair to lucid skin.

The tail becomes cord-like

or remnant of cord. It whips,

all three to four inches whip,

against your latex glove.

You can do this

one-handed: hold the rodent

down, insert the smallest needle

and extract. Or push. Inject

happiness, clear skin, smooth cuticles,

or erections for 85^th birthdays.

With a cage of six, you’ll practice.

Wield your syringe like a weapon. Draw

blood, insert saline. Practice

on more. Soon, you’ll graduate

to rat-gavage, to birth control

for beagles, then learn the P’s & Q’s

of chromosomal X’s & Y’s.

You’ll get promoted

to lab-coat status

for liquefying immortality.

For encapsulating everlasting love

into tablet form.