My heart

out of its cave

naked

glistening

exposed:

sun and wind and rain

his penetrating gaze.

Grisly protrusions

frayed edges

gaping holes

clumsily bound:

baling wire

tape

and glue.

He does not look away

nor chide

nor shame

nor laugh.

Instead

he lies next to me

feels

my rhythm

sees

from my eyes

hears

the crawling of ants

the growing of grass

the whisper of trees

secret after secret.

A smile

before plucking

my flawed beating muscle

and returning it

with a surgeon’s precision

all knowing.

Colleen Sohn