In the length of open heart surgery

My own began to fail

The problem with failure being

To fail, you have to try

 

Stomach flinched at touch of finger tips

Legs wound together loosely, it split

Ten digits scrambled to hold it together

My chest splayed open at last

 

Muscles contracted, valves pumped

Blood flowed fluidly, more fluid than before

Stitched up the middle, the scar will stay

 

In the length of open heart surgery

Threaded webs of lust and loss wrapped my skin

Eyelashes fell to cheeks

Words replaced with silence

 

Crickets chirped for a moment

Then the Earth died down to a hum

The air was stale and sweet

 

And I, a patient of circumstance

Did not wake up healed