betrayed by
flesh: blood
beats tattoos
against the
underside of
skin flushed
in steady push to expand surface area on palms and soles, prime targets for a
body demanding to be cooled, dilating veins, capillaries, speeding respiration,
& boosting all perspiration till this body is a cross i wear and i wonder—in a
quite non-violent
way—if i should
take a wicked
blade to both
my hands &
these 2 feet,
release that
p-pounding
pressure, if
i should prick
slick brow, &
pierce a rib
beneath my
breast, will
wild drums
slow & body
cool, or will
i simply feel
stigmatised
?​
