The patient member

Don’t really remember writing this. Found it in notes app. Let’s hope it’s mine

THE PATIENT MEMBER

The patient member sits

and stares to hell, his knife

sharp like oil paint juts

primitively from white, so

decided those strokes sit smug,

waiting to be explained.

The patient member holds his

breath, earthly and whole

in his mouth, pockets of flesh.

So full, his cheek zippers with

the tuck of gash, gelatinous still.

And it is only

with heavy gratitude, he lets free these breaths and then apologizes

for his misgivings and those regrets.

The patient member loathes

this city.

Waits to be home, where he

holds his foot high,

even behind his hip,

and then waits to be taken

for what he is.