Lessons in Poet-Surgery

her wounds have been cauterized

in the inferno named carrying on

the bleeding staunched

in some measure

by the tourniquet called routine

slowed to a scarlet ooze

spurting now and then

in quasi-clotted glops

when organizing

dislodges a razor of memory,

daily habits dig sharpened fingernails

and claw off crusted scabs,

oft-practiced patterns slice jugularly

through carefully phrased stitches,

or clumsily applied customs

unravel healing lines of bandages.

when the blood spurts anew

she prostrates herself in turn

to Aceso and Sekhmet

bows before Airmed and Patecatl

wraps pallid fingers

round crumbling quill

hastily jots a curative

lopsided stanza or two