Thomas W. Morris's poem is about the frustration of having plenty to say and being stopped by anxiety. It begins with playful "if I were" wishes: an extra eye to see time passing, an extra tongue to express a rhyme, a T-rex's tiny arms, a fish with a commander's voice. Each wish is really about wanting to be seen, heard or capable, and each falls short.
Then the tone turns confessional. The speaker admits to shutting down conversation, dismissing people who were struggling, and isolating themselves for comfort. They describe pressuring their own body into "a long lost deception," which suggests a self-made trap. Next comes defiance and bitterness: refusing kindness, mocking optimism, and violently rejecting a guiding hand.
The ending is quieter and more honest. The speaker wishes they could write more, but anxiety shouts down their thoughts and stops their fingers. The mood is raw, sarcastic and weary, with a flash of dark humor over real pain.