“The Lotus Flower Cries”
Out of every lean heart muscle a lotus flower sprouts.
It is perched on a spring to bounce out of the chest cavity.
The spirits around waters it.
And it grows from a seedling;
And it grows, until it is naked, purple,
Premature baby on life support.
The flower shimmies up, with weights on both legs.
Muscles strain and push the break on the butterfly petals;
But like a diver rushing for air, the flower breaks
Through the flaps of the moving vocal chords,
Rushing like Jack’s bean stalk.
A belt clasps with a ripping motion; around
The woman’s mouth. The flower longs
For the slimy room. For the storm outside;
The flower is stuck, in between muscles.
We all choke, we can’t speak.
