listen mother, he punched the air:  I am not your son dying

the day fades and the starlings roost:  a body's a husk a nest of goodbye



his wrist colorless and soft was not a stick of chewing gum

how tell?    well a plastic bracelet with his name for one.    & no mint

his eyes distinguishable from oysters how?    only when pried open



she at times felt the needle going in.    felt her own sides cave.   she rasped

she twitched with a palsy:  tectonic plates grumbled under her feet



soiled his sheets clogged the yellow BIOHAZARD bin:  later to be burned

soot clouds billowed out over the city:  a stole.    a pillbox hat    [smart city]

and wouldn't the taxis stop now.    and wouldn't a hush smother us all



the vascular walls graffitied and scarred.    a clotted rend in the muscle

drive through avenues throttled with t-cells.    processional staph & thrush 



the scourge the spike a stab a shend the cure the grace the quenching

listen mother, who brought me here:  open the window.    let birds in